15 like Chiminya. He said that the community was small and could be destroyed very quickly. He congratulated Zanu (PF) youths for a job well done and also thanked the ex-combatants. Three witnesses testified to being present at Zanu (PF) rallies or meetings in which Mahachi made threats against members of the MDC: Kandini, Guzeze, Chishawu. Makoni East – Shadreck Chipanga F.C. testified that he was a victim of a particularly brutal attack on MDC supporters. He told the court that he was assaulted with two friends by men in a blue Nissan twin-cab. The first victim, Josiah, was assaulted with an open hand but managed to run away. His other friend, Makita, was assaulted and placed under the tires of the twin-cab. His assailants told the driver, who is alleged to have been the respondent, Chipanga, to run over him but the vehicle did not move. Chinonza was assaulted and told to lean against the car. When he did his assailant produced a knife and stabbed him in the abdomen. Chinonza saw blood and fell to the ground. He heard the assailants say that ‘the job was done’ and that they had ‘killed one of (MDC president Morgan) Tsvangirai’s sons’. Afterwards the car left and Chinonza saw that his intestines were exposed. Delirious, a friend helped him walk to a medical clinic about two km away. Chinonza had to hold his intestines in as he made his way to the clinic. Chinonza positively identified the driver of the twin-cab as Chipanga. He stated that the respondent did not participate in the assault but was fully aware of what was happening and did nothing to stop it. A police report was filed but no action has yet been taken. Though he was not a respondent in the case, Zanu (PF) MP for Makoni North Didymus Mutasa testified in July 2001 as one of Chipanga’s witnesses in the Makoni East case. During his testimony, he told the court that Zanu (PF) would consider taking up arms in the event of a Zanu (PF) defeat at next year’s Presidential elections, though he refused to commit himself or the party on whether or not they would respect the people’s vote if Zanu (PF) did not win. Mutasa was responding to a question on his views of threats made by war veterans to stage a coup if the MDC wins the Presidential elections in 2002. A month earlier, a Pishai Mucharaya testified in the Makoni East petition that Mutasa brandished a firearm and followed MDC supporters on a weekend break from his testimony in the case in June. Muchauraya, a witness in his constituency’s election challenge made the allegation. The MDC advocate argued that the incident was relevant to the case because it is “indicative of the respondent’s party. The respondent and his party will not stop at anything to have their way in this constituency.” Mutasa made no statement while intimidating him but this was during a weekend break from hi testimony. Muchauraya said Mutasa was among a group of Zanu (PF) supporters that surrounded a handful of MDC supporters in Rusape. Muchauraya was in a lorry that was carrying MDC local leadership to a meeting. When they saw the crowd, they drove down the road to pick up other MDC supporters. At this point it is alleged that Mutasa started driving behind them brandishing a firearm out the window. He followed them to the Rusape police station where they went to make a report. Once at the police station, Mutasa waited behind the lorry while the witness went inside accompanied by Thomas Bundo and Nation Kwete. They attempted to give a statement to the officer-in-charge, Lovemore Musire, however he refused to help and referred them to the Commanding Officer. The Commanding Officer refused to give his name and also refused to help them. “Mr. Matasa is very close to the President,” he said. “There is nothing I can do about it.” He continued, “I advise you to cancel the meeting because if you die you would die for nothing. Since we’ve already advised you, no one will be arrested.” The men were not able to make a formal complaint. After exiting the police station, they walked back to the lorry to find Mutasa still parked behind them with his weapon. They drove south to the Mutare-Harare highway while still being threatened and stopped at the Balfour Hotel. Muchauraya then called out, “Mr. Mutasa, it would be better for you to shoot me and not all these other persons because they have not done anything wrong.” Mutasa then drove off towards Mutare while the lorry took a circuitous route AMANI Trust: Organised Violence and Torture in the June 2000 General Election in Zimbabwe