My trial concludes, judgement on Thursday afternoon!
Early morning today (Tuesday) I received a routine threatening message from a South African number. The author said, by Friday you will be at Chikurubi Jacob, we will be done with you!
I had court today. My lawyers submitted their closing remarks, they then motivated them. Prof Madhuku and Moses Nkomo did the best any exceptionally good team can do. Thank you guys! I appreciate. Our defense was solid and the state could not clearly prove any case against us beyond any reasonable doubt.
The magistrate, who so far has handled the matter in a manner unsuspicious, then asked us to come back for judgement on Thursday afternoon 2PM.
It was at this point that I realized the text message I received early morning almost predicted the judgement day! It could be a coincidence I am not sure.
As I sat in court listening to the effort by the state to push for conviction without evidence I was reminded of the conversation I had yesterday with police in a deep rural outpost.
I was coming from Mateta 2 and l passed through a rural butchery and bought 8kg of goat meat. I love goat meat. I put the meat in a cooler box.
We got to this police road block and they checked the cooler box and saw the meet. They asked me to prove where I had gotten it. I told them and they wanted receipts from the butchery! Or they will charge me with stealing goat meet!
They tried to ask for a bribe of 5US, I refused. I was firm. They detained me saying they will prepare papers for theft of goat meet, 8kg.
A more senior officer came in the mix, he listened to the case. He asked for my details and I handed him my ID. When he realized I was Jacob Ngarivhume the atmosphere changed from arrogance to cooperation.
I said to the officer, how does it happen that you guys are so concerned about protecting eight dollars worthy of goat meat while billions of gold is looted daily in the country?
He explained to me that Ngarivhume, this country has gone to the dogs and the elites control everything.
He explained to me that there is no political will to deal with the gold smuggling because it’s done at the highest level.
He told me that in their district they were recently asked by the district police officer, dispol, that they must not allow more than two opposition meetings per month.
He then said to me change can only come if you in the political arena force it to happen. Otherwise from our side we keep working with the regime.
As I left that police road block I was left wondering what we needed to do to change this country. I was angry that they could hold me for more than an hour to account for 8kg worth of goat meat while the country is loosing millions of US dollars in gold daily.
I await to see my verdict on Thursday. I will see where I will be Friday morning! Whether I will be home or Chikurubi as the guy on the text message declared. Meanwhile it’s aluta continua. The struggle continues until real freedom comes.
Jacob Ngarivhume