The Sunday News
Simba Jemwa, Sunday News Reporter
There has been a new twist to the alleged theft and assault charges being faced by Nationalists Alliance Party (Nap) founder and president Devine Mhambi-Hove after the complainant and his key witnesses failed to appear in court last Wednesday.
Appearing in Court 5 before Magistrate Ms Nothando Mathe and charged with assaulting his business partner, Trust Muteedzi, Hove will now appear in court once summons have been issued. Muteedzi and his two witnesses failed to appear in court forcing the magistrate to issue a warrant of arrest to force them to attend the next hearing.
Devine Mhambi-Hove
On the theft charge, the matter was set down to remand court after the State advised the magistrate that it was not ready to proceed. In both matters, the politician’s next court appearance will be by summons, and he has denied any wrong doing.
Mhambi-Hove (44), who is also the deputy chairperson International Relations and Reengagement Committee in the Political Actors Dialogue (Polad), has been appearing in court to separately answer to the two charges of theft and assault after he was reportedly arrested for assault and theft from a city bar he co-owns with the complainant.
On the first count, allegations are that on 21 June 2022 Hove had a misunderstanding with Muteedzi who is the owner of Basement Bar located at Duly’s Building which is situated at corner 11th Avenue and Jason Moyo Street where he also runs a car wash business. Hove was not asked to plead when he appeared in court and was remanded out of custody to August 3 on $5 000 bail. Mhambi-Hove pleaded not guilty to both the assault and theft claims levelled against him by his business partner. – @RealSimbaJemwa
