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Cynthia Dube, Court Reporter
ZANU-PF Bulawayo Provincial Youth Deputy Commissar Tichaona Chikwava (33) allegedly battled for about three hours with his cellmates at Bulawayo Prisons who wanted to sodomise him.

A court heard Chikwava from Makokoba suburb sustained injuries on his face last week when he fought with other prisoners who were determined to sexually assault him.

Two weeks ago, Chikwava was sentenced to 12 months in prison for faking former provincial youth chairperson Mr Khumbulani Mpofu`s death and asking for a      $1 000 funeral donation from the party.

On Friday last week, his lawyer Mr Dumisani Dube of Mathonsi, Ncube law chambers appeared before magistrate Mr Franklin Mkhwananzi pleading with the court to give him $100 bail pending appeal.

Mr Dube said the court must consider substituting a custodial sentence by ordering Chikwava to perform community service.

“The court did not consider his mitigation when they were sentencing my client. The accused person is a first offender and he pleaded guilty to the charge.

He is also the father of a minor who is supposed to attend school. I submit that there is a possibility or chance of custodial sentence or an option to pay fine,” said the lawyer.

“I have been advised by the prison guards that the rights of my client were infringed this week. They informed me that his cellmates tried to sodomise him and then they started to fight for about three hours and he has a swollen face.”

The magistrate granted Chikwava bail of $100.

“The accused person is ordered to surrender his travel documents to the clerk of courts and is also ordered to report to Mzilikazi police station once a week,” said Mr Mkhwananzi.

The court heard that Chikwava and Blessed Mushandu faked Mr Mpofu’s death in order to get the donation. However, Mushandu pleaded not guilty to the fraud charge and State failed to prove that he committed the crime.

He was acquitted.

Last week, the court heard that the pair requested   $1 000 donation from the party.

Police dramatically swooped on Chikwava and Mushandu on March 22 at the Zanu-PF offices while the duo was waiting to be given the money.

However, Mushandu disappeared along the way to Donnington Police Station.

Mr Mkhwananzi convicted Chikwava on his own plea of guilty to fraud.

He sentenced Chikwava to 12 months in prison but suspended four months on condition that he does not within the next five years commit a similar crime.

Prosecuting, Mr Nkathazo Dlodlo said on March 22 Chikwava and Mushandu went to the Zanu-PF offices in the city to ask for a donation for the burial of a party member.

“The accused persons introduced themselves to a complainant, operations director Cde Robert Noel Hugo (44) as members of the party. They produced fake donation papers,” said Mr Dlodlo.

“The accused persons produced a fake death certificate indicating the deceased as Mr Mpofu and requested $1 000 for funeral expenses.”

The court heard that Cde Hugo became suspicious and enquired from other Zanu-PF members who told him that Mr Mpofu was still alive.

Mr Dlodlo said Cde Hugo reported to the police leading to the arrest of Chikwava and Mushandu.

— @cynthiamthembo1.