By Paul Nyathi|Chiefs Council President Fortune Charumbira and Local Government Minister July Moyo are now according to law full-fledged criminals after failing to comply to a High Court order.

High Court judge Justice Clement Phiri nearly two weeks ago gave Chief Charumbira a seven-day ultimatum, which expired on Thursday last week, to withdraw his statement that traditional leaders would support the Zanu PF presidential candidate in the upcoming harmonised elections.

This follows a court application by the Election Resources Centre (ERC) demanding an order compelling Charumbira to retract his statement in a national newspaper and all broadcasting stations in the country.

In its application, where Local Government minister July Moyo was cited as the third respondent, ERC said the remarks were unlawful and a direct violation of the Constitution.

“The first respondent be and is, hereby, ordered to retract in writing the statements that he made to the effect that traditional leaders should support and vote for Zanu PF by issuing a countermanding statement and shall publish the countermanding statement in a newspaper with a national circulation and endeavour to make a statement available to private and public media houses and the national broadcaster within seven days of being served with this order.”

Moyo was also directed to commence disciplinary proceedings for misconduct against Charumbira.

The two have since failed to comply with the court order effectively making them criminals according to law.

Charumbira was also ordered to pay the cost of suit. ZimEye.com could not immediately establish if Charumbira paid the costs to the courts.

Comment could not be obtained from Charumbira whose mobile phone was not reachable at the time of writing.