MASVINGO – Magistrate Elizabeth Hanzi has issued a warrant of arrest for Zanu PF Masvingo youth chairperson Delight Mandebvu after he failed to turn up for court today.
Mandebvu is facing three assa_lt charges.
He allegedly assa_lted prominent Masvingo lawyer and former mayor Collen Maboke, his wife Tariro and a relative Simbarashe Matyei after their vehicles sideswiped along the Masvingo – Bikita road on March 3, 2024.
Prosecutor Godknows Mugondo applied for the warrant because Mandebvu neither showed up nor communicated with the court.
A warrant of arrest is a document giving a Police officer power to arrest a person and to bring him or her before the court.
The Mirror is however, in possession of a letter purportedly written by Mandebvu’s lawyers Machaya and Associates dated May 27, 2024, informing the prosecutor that Mandebvu is in south Africa where he is part of a Zanu PF youth contingent to prop up African National Congress (ANC) election bid in tomorrow’s national elections.
The letter states that Mandebvu is away on national duty in South Africa as part of the Zanu PF youth league election observer team.
“Please note that our client indeed advised us of the date, however we are requesting a postponement of the matter to any date in June. This has been caused by the fact that our client is out on national duty in South Africa where he is part of the Zanu PF youth league observer team. He will be back on 30 May 2024…We are proposing the 10th of June 2024 as the trial date,” reads part of the letter.
Mandebvu limped into court last Tuesday with crutches and a plaster on his left leg. Video footage of him dancing and toyi-toying clad in ANC regalia last week has since surfaced online.
He initially appeared in court two weeks back and alleged that Maboke ran him over. He claimed that he cannot walk and needs time to look for a lawyer outside the province because all lawyers were shunning him.
Mandebvu appeared in court again last Tuesday and pleaded for another week to find a lawyer.
Masvingomirror
