HARARE – Former Zanu PF politician Jim Kunaka was Wednesday summoned to court on charges of assaulting and robbing a Military Intelligence detail over two years ago when former President Robert Mugabe was still in power.
The incident allegedly occurred while Kunaka was part of a welcome party for Mugabe at the Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport as he returned from a trip to New York.
The complainant is Dennis Mupfungidza, a soldier seconded to the Presidential Guard.
It is alleged that after beating the soldier, Kunaka then searched and stole goods worth US$835 from his victim.
Mupfungidza, say prosecutors, was on duty at the airport’s domestic terminal runway as the Military Intelligence ground coverage commander when the incident happened on September 25, 2017.
The court heard Kunaka, who was in the company of other Zanu PF youths, allegedly approached Mupfungidza claiming he was on national duty.
The former youth leader, who believed Mupfungidza was a civilian, allegedly refused to reveal his identity, claiming he can only reveal it to police officers.
It is alleged that he started assaulting the soldier all over the body and the Zanu PF youths whom he was leading joined in the assault.
The court heard that Mupfungidza fell down and Kunaka assaulted him with a concrete block on the head and he started bleeding.
According to the State, another Military Intelligence detail, Innocent Makumbe, witnessed the assault and rushed to the scene with a police officer who was in uniform.
Kunaka allegedly searched his victim and took his wallet that contained US$407, car keys, a pair of shoes and a G-Tel Afro 726 phone.
The State alleges that Kunaka handed the stolen property to the other Zanu PF youths when he saw the police officer approaching.
Kunaka was taken to the police station where a report was filed while Mupfungidza was rushed to Parirenyatwa Hospital for treatment.
Kunaka’s trial will commence on September 23.
