Mutare – Prominent figure in the transport industry and chairman of Inter Africa Buses, Leonard Mukumba has been arrested and appeared in court yesterday on charges of inciting violence at the Sakubva market. Mukumba, who had been on the run, was finally apprehended and brought before the Mutare Magistrates Court.
Mukumba, 52, faced charges related to violent incidents that occurred in May 2024. The violence erupted following a dispute over the queuing system for loading passengers at various termini in Mutare, which Mukumba’s transport company and other operators had agreed upon to resolve loading challenges. The situation escalated when Mupfumi Buses withdrew from the arrangement, leading to confrontations between rival groups of rank marshals.
On May 23, 2024, Mukumba allegedly mobilized his aligned rank marshals to commit acts of violence. The incidents included attacks on Mupfumi bus loaders Farai Chitsa and Vincent Mupindu, who were assaulted with machetes, golf sticks, and sjamboks. Another Mupfumi bus loader, Calvin Munjoma, was forcibly taken to Golden Hotel and assaulted. The violence culminated in a chaotic scene at Greenmarket, Mutare, where rank marshals armed with machetes and golf sticks assaulted people and damaged property.
Following his arrest on June 20, 2024, Mukumba appeared before Provincial Magistrate Tendai Mahwe, with Sandra Mlambo prosecuting. He was legally represented by Ashley Mutungura of Mutungura and Partners. Mukumba was granted bail under strict conditions to ensure he does not flee and to maintain public order.
The bail conditions include posting a bail amount of US$1,000, continuing to reside at his given address in Glenlorne, Harare, not interfering with witnesses and reporting to ZRP Borrowdale in Harare every last Friday of the month.
The court remanded the case to July 22, 2024, for further hearings. The reports lodged at ZRP Mutare Central (CR 267/05/24, CR 265/05/24, CR 286/05/24, and CR 309/05/24) and CID Law and Order (DR 08/06/24) detail the severity of the violent clashes instigated by Mukumba’s mobilized rank marshals.
