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Prosper Dembedza, Harare Bureau
THE State yesterday withdrew charges against two of the four people accused of attempting to petrol bomb the First Family’s Alpha Omega Dairy Farm in Mazowe and turned them into its witnesses.

Solomon Makumbe, 29, who is attached to 1 Field Regiment and Zimbabwe Intelligence Corps and Silas Pfupa, 37, will now testify on behalf of the State against little known Zimbabwe People’s Front political party leader Owen Kuchata, 34, and Borman Ngwenya, 30.

Kuchata and Ngwenya are facing allegations of possessing weaponry for sabotage and money laundering for terrorism purposes.

Harare magistrate Elijah Makomo withdrew charges against Makumbe and Pfupa before plea with the State’s consent.

The prosecutor Sharon Mashavira told the court that she wanted to use the two as State witnesses.

“The State wishes to withdraw charges against the two and will use them as its witnesses,” she said.

Kachata and Ngwenya will be back in court on February 8 for trial.

Mashavira alleged that on Friday last week at around 4PM, police received a tip-off that the four were planning to bomb Alpha Omega Dairy’s processing plant and tuck shop during the night.

The dairy’s processing plant and tuckshop are located at Gushungo Dairy Estate, Jumbo Road in Mazowe.

Acting on the tip-off, the police proceeded to the farm and laid an ambush about 100m from the quartet’s target.

At around 10PM, the detectives saw the men approaching the dairy’s processing plant and immediately arrested them.

They searched them and recovered four Molotov cocktails (bombs) made of petrol, ammonium nitrate, nails and sand in 750 millilitre Chateau empty bottles.

They also recovered Zimbabwe People’s Front party manifesto, party constitution and documents relating to party activities.

The quartet reportedly held several meetings to acquire funding during preparations to carry out the banditry, terrorist and sabotage activities.

The quartet made voluntary indications to the police on Sunday last week.