MDC-T burdens courts with trivia: Magistrate
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Eddie Cross

Leonard Ncube Court Reporter
A Bulawayo magistrate yesterday told MDC-T officials to avoid washing their dirty linen in public and accused the party of burdening the courts with trivial matters.Passing judgement in the case of Bulawayo MP and MDC-T national council executive member Eddie Cross, who was accused of insulting suspended party’s provincial administrator, Nkululeko Ndlovu, magistrate Gladmore Mushove said:

“The court should not be burdened by such trivial matters which should have been solved at party level without coming to court.”
She, however, found Cross not guilty of the alleged racial slur and acquitted him. Cross, who was represented by Advocate Tim Cherry, had pleaded not guilty to the offence.

“It seems there was an exchange of words between the complainant and the accused and there is no evidence that the accused made that call and hence he is  found not guilty and acquitted,” said Mushove.

Cross, 73, was facing two counts of violating sections of the Post and Telecommunications Act. Testifying in court recently Ndlovu said Cross was a racist bully who thrives on threatening party members and accused him of being responsible for his sacking.

The war between Cross and Ndlovu started before the July, 31, 2013 harmonised elections when the two traded accusations of misappropriating party funds meant for elections in the province.

It is alleged that during one of their conversations, Cross said: “Black people shall never run this country properly. You are stupid and talking crap.”

Ndlovu was offended and reported the matter to the police leading to Cross’ arrest.  It is said Ndlovu received $66, 470 from the party’s head office in Harare on behalf of the Bulawayo province.

The money came in two batches for payment of the party’s polling agents during the elections. Each polling station was supposed to have three agents.

Ndlovu alleges that Cross took money for four polling agents resulting in others not getting the money. The court established that Ndlovu actually made the phone call, which resulted in the alleged slur and as such Cross could not be held accountable.

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