Businessman escapes jail term

By Thupeyo Muleya Prominent Beitbridge businessman Hardson Mhlanga and his two friends, who were arrested last year for kidnapping and severely assaulting a man he suspected of courting his wife, were lucky to escape jail time after a magistrate wholly suspended their six-month custodial terms. The three were fined US$300 each on the assault charge and a default of payment would attract 20 days in prison in addition to the six months jail time that was conditionally suspended. Mhlanga (35), who operates Pogamo Heights and Pagomba nightclubs in the border town, was arrested with Kingston Muzvidziwa (36) and Clyton Zimbeva. They had pleaded not guilty before Mr Douglas Zvenyika but were convicted on the basis of overwhelming evidence against them. Their trial had its fair share of controversy as it sucked in Beitbridge area prosecutor Tarcicius Moyo and a law officer in the AG’s Office, Mr Sibanengi Ncube, who have since been arrested on charges of unprocedurally granting Mhlanga bail. That bail was revoked by a Beitbridge magistrate early this year. Mhlanga was charged with inciting his accomplices to kidnap and assault Cornelius Tinei. Muzvidziwa and Zimbeva were charged with kidnapping and assault. The State, led by Matabeleland South provincial prosecutor Mr Blessing Gundani, proved that on November 7 2009, Mhlanga summoned Muzvidziwa and Zimbeva to Pogamo Heights along with others who are still at large. He told them to kidnap Tinei and assault him as punishment for proposing love to his wife. At around 6pm that day, one of them called Tinei on his cellphone on the pretext that he wanted him to fix a television at Pogamo. When Tinei got to Pogamo they bundled him into a car and took him to a bushy area near an aerodrome. They severely assaulted him all over the body while Mhlanga watched from his car. Afterwards they dumped him at his house. Tinei sustained severe body injuries. A police report was made leading to the trio’s arrest. published by , The Herald 29 March 2010 www.herald.co.zw