Africa-Press – Zimbabwe. THE case of five Hwange villagers who were arrested following their protests against a Chinese mining company constructing a pipeline to draw water from their community-built dam was on Wednesday further postponed after key State witnesses failed to turn up for the matter.
Likhwa Nyathi (26), Simangele Singa (40), Definite Munsaka (34), Chetani Mathe (35) and Lynette Zulu (34), all of Diki Village in Hwange, were denying the charges of contravening the Water Act [Chapter 20:24] (obstructing any water works), contravening section 41(b) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act [Chapter 9:23] (disorderly conduct) and contravening section 77(a) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act [Chapter 9:23] (indecent exposure) when they appeared before Hwange magistrate Rumbidzai Kabasa-Bhonzo.
They are represented by Linda Ruvarashe Mtombeni from the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights.
On Wednesday, the magistrate remanded the five to December 16 after the key State witnesses failed to turn up for the trial commencement.
The five are on US$100 bail each.
The complainant in the matter is the Chinese-owned Zhongjing Helli Energy Private Limited represented by Silvester Munkuli, employed by the company as a supervisor.
Allegations against the five are that on October 1, Munkuli together with his colleagues were working on laying water pipes to draw water from Kalope Dam when Singa went to the dam and told telling the Zhongjing workers to halt the process.
He threatened to stone them.
The court heard that police officers went to the scene, where they apprehended Nyathi and Singa.
When the other villagers heard that the two had been arrested, Munsaka and Mathe went to the dam, where they threatened incite other villagers to stone the Zhongjing workers if they did not stop the water pipe installation process.
Instantly, the Chinese firm workers stopped.
The court heard that Munkuli informed the police, who then returned to the scene, where they found that the workers had stopped laying the water pipes.
It is the State’s case that the police officers ordered the workers to resume working and during that time, Nyathi, Singa and Zulu allegedly jumped into the trench and removed laid PVC pipes out of the trench.
They even blocked the excavator’s pathway along the mainline trench so it could not excavate the trench.
The prosecution told the court that the villagers were told by the police details that they were forbidden from distract the laying and connection of Zhongjing Helli Energy Private Limited water pipes, but they did not comply.
The State alleged that the villagers then threatened to hurl stones at the police officers.
In the process, they incited other villagers and blocked the pipe laying process, leading to their arrest.
On the count of indecent exposure, Zulu, a female, removed her clothes before police officers, other villagers and mine workers, exposing her bosom.
This led to the arrests of the day.
Jamesina Erica Makanza prosecuted.
For More News And Analysis About Zimbabwe Follow Africa-Press
