A hearing on an exception application by Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (Potraz) director-general Gift Machengete who is being charged for violating tender procedures, will have to wait after the State asked for a postponement yesterday. This is the fourth postponement of the matter.

Harare magistrate Hosiah Mujaya, quite miffed by the latest delay, said  if the State failed to respond to the exception application by April 9, he will proceed to make a ruling on the request. The magistrate said if the State felt it had no case against Machengete, it should simply own up.

Mr Mujaya said each time the court sits for the matter, the defence would go out of its way trying to call the prosecutor, a situation the magistrate described as “chaotic”.

However, Machengete successfully applied for relaxation of his bail conditions. He temporarily got his passport back to enable him to travel to Switzerland on Government business.

-State Media