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(NEWZIMBABWE) Top MDC-T official denies plotting to kill rivals

Top MDC-T official denies plotting to kill rivals
23/02/2012 00:00:00
by Violet Gonda I VOA

A SENIOR MDC-T official has dismissed as ridiculous and malicious allegations he plotted to kidnap and kill top officials of his own party. Toendeipi Shonhe, the party’s director general, was arrested Monday but released on the same day after signing a warned and cautioned statement. Police investigations are continuing.

He is accused of ordering party youths to kill party leader Morgan Tsvangirai’s aide Dennis Murira, director of security Denson ‘Okolo’ Muchineuta and Smart Mesa, another security aide. Shonhe has previously been at the centre of power struggles within the MDC-T.

In 2010 he was assaulted by party youths when clashes broke out at the party's Harare headquarters in what was described as factional violence.

Party insiders blamed Shonhe’s arrest on power struggles between a faction loyal to Tsvangirai and another said to be backing Secretary General Tendai Biti. Shonhe is said to be in the Biti camp while Murira allegedly backs Tsvangirai.

But both Shonhe and Murira denied the party was rocked by in-fighting, in separate interviews with VOA.

Still, Shonhe’s lawyer Harrison Nkomo said the police charge sheet showed that Murira was one of the individuals who filed a complaint with the police.

But the Prime Minister's aide told Violet Gonda that although he received death threats he was not the one who went to the police.

“I never went to the police, but some guys who also felt that their lives were in danger did," Murira said.

"All I know is that they had received threats just like me.”

However, Shonhe dismissed the allegations as 'totally false' adding there were ‘misguided elements’ being used by Zanu PF to divide the MDC-T.

“I find the allegations to be very malicious because the people I am accused of threatening are all juniors to me and there is no competition. In any case I work very well with all those people.”

Labels: ARRESTS, MDC, MDC VIOLENCE, TENDAI BITI, TOENDEPI SHONHE

posted by MrK @ 4:26 PM