By James Gwati- The Harare magistrate’s courts have summoned the former University of Zimbabwe Vice Chancellor Levi Nyagura to stand trial on allegations of awarding former First Lady Mrs Grace Mugabe a doctorate in 2014.

Nyagura is to appear at the Harare magistrate court on April 15 to answer to criminal abuse of office charges.

Circumstances leading to the former Vice Chancellor’s arrest are that in 2011, he single-handedly accepted and approved the application by Ntombizodwa Grace Marufu (Mrs Mugabe maiden name) to study for a doctorate in sociology.

Nyagura allegedly did so without the knowledge and recommendation of the departmental board and faculty of the higher degrees committee in violation of UZ quality assurance, guidelines and benchmarks.