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MASVINGO High Court judge Justice Garainashe Mawadze has granted Chirumanzu constituency losing CCC candidate Patrick Cheza (50) and four others bail.

Cheza is facing one count of inciting public violence while Elias Maduveko, Magmaster Chidyawuye, Delight Zinyemba and Courage Mugova are facing public violence charges.

The accused had initially been denied bail by Gweru provincial magistrate Mr Tendai Mahwe sitting at Gweru on Tuesday.

The High Court session was held virtually following the successful introduction of the third phase of the Integrated Electronic Case Management System (IECMS) by Judicial Service Commission (JSC) at the beginning of the month.

The High Court including the Sheriff of the High Court is now able to acquit virtually.

The five were represented by renowned Gweru lawyer Mr Esau Mandipa of Mutatu and Mandipa Legal Practice and Mr Leopold Mudisi of Mutendi, Mudisi and Shumba Legal Practitioners who were in Gweru while Justice Mawadze was in his chambers in Masvingo.

The losing CCC candidate handed himself over to the police in the company of his lawyer Mr Mandipa following the arrest of his supporters who assaulted the Minister of Tourism and Hospitality Industry Barbara Rwodzi after her son Mr George Chengetai Rwodzi, who was involved in an accident with a vehicle belonging to the accused.

It is the State case that on August 24, at around 1:20 PM Cheza was driving along Charandura- Chaka dust road where he arrived at a road traffic accident involving his motor vehicle and the other vehicle that was being driven by Mr Chengetai Rwodzi.

Upon arrival, Cheza allegedly shouted at the top of his voice at Min Rwodzi demanding to know why she wanted to kill CCC supporters yet she had won the just-ended harmonised elections.

Cheza who was allegedly in control of Maduveko, Chidyawuye, Zinyemba and Mugova shouted in vernacular language “ngaarohwe” meaning to say beat her.

Cheza, the court heard, incited Maduveko, Chidyawuye, Zinyemba and Mugova who charged towards the Minister with iron bars, logs and knives.

The accused who was at that moment visibly angry raised his right hand in a challenging manner to Minister Rwodzi and continued shouting at her that it was time for CCC members to discipline her since they had been troubled by Zanu -PF members for a long time

Acting in common purpose, the court heard that Chidyiwe who was putting on a red T shirt violently tripped the Minister with his right foot at the same time trying to stab her in the face with a knife.

Whilst the complainant was lying on the ground and crying for help the accused persons joined in and indiscriminately kicked her several times with booted feet all over her body.

The accused persons stopped attacking her when her security aide fired one shot into the air.

Minister Rwodzi sustained serious injuries.