By Staff Reporter

TWO MDC Alliance supporters from Manica Bridge in Mutasa Central were Thursday jailed 12 months each for assaulting a Zanu PF supporter at Manhede business centre.

The pair – Lincoln Muradzikwa, 22, and Patrick Murauro, 22 – pleaded guilty when they appeared before Mutare magistrate Tendai Mahwe.

They were accused of assaulting Providence Maunze for supporter of Jefta Sakupwanya, the Zanu PF candidate for Mutasa Central constituency in the July 30 elections.

Magistrate Mahwe however, conditionally suspended four months of the sentence meaning the pair serve an effective eight months each in prison.

The court said cases of political motivated assaults had been on the increase in the province since the beginning of election period, adding that lengthy jail sentences were appropriate to deter would-be offenders.

Prosecutors told the court that the incident on July 13 this year at Manhede business centre.