A CHITUNGWIZA man, Danmore Nemaire (21), was yesterday arraigned at the Harare Magistrates’ Court on charges of unlawful possession of a firearm after allegedly using a gun to threaten his colleague in a dispute over a bottle of highly-intoxicating Broncleer cough syrup.
Nemaire appeared before magistrate Tendai Mahwe facing two charges of threatening to shoot Zivai Chigwedere and of possessing the CZ pistol without a valid firearm licence.
He denied both charges.
It is the State’s case that last Wednesday Nemaire approached Chigwedere intending to buy Broncleer, but was told that only one bottle was left. He then suggested to Chigwedere they share the bottle, but without having reached an agreement he drank the whole bottle.
The State alleges Chigwedere, on asking Nemaire why he had drunk the whole bottle without his permission, got furious and threatened to use a gun on him. It is alleged Nemaire went to his parents’ house and came back with a CZ pistol with which he threatened Chigwedere if he continued to pester him over the cough syrup.
In the second charge, Nemaire is said to have dropped an empty magazine from the pistol in a public road.
The matter was reported to the police who came and recovered a firearm at his house, but Nemaire allegedly failed to produce a firearm licence, leading to his arrest.
During the trial the State will call, among other witnesses, Chigwedere and David Tapfumaneyi.
Chigwedere will testify on threats to be shot at by Nemaire, while Tapfumaneyi will give evidence on seeing the suspect dropping an empty magazine in a public road.
Francesca Mukumbiri is representing the State.Newsday
