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Higher and Tertiary Education Minister Professor Jonathan Moyo violated the rules of the Constitutional Court when he filed his challenge against arrest and the apex court has deferred the hearing to allow him to comply.

The nine-member bench noticed that Prof Moyo’s lawyers failed to properly paginate the record as required by the rules of the court.

It was found that the minister’s lawyers did not bind the papers in breach of another rule of the court.

To that end, the court indefinitely postponed the matter to allow the minister to put his house in order.

Deputy Chief Justice Luke Malaba, however, ordered Minister Moyo to pay wasted costs.

“By consent, the application is postponed sine die (indefinitely) and the applicant to pay wasted costs in respect of the fourth respondent,” ruled Justice Malaba.

A bid by Minister Moyo’s lawyers to justify their error by accusing the registrar of the court of allowing them to file the haphazard application hit a brick wall. – State Media

FIRST Lady Grace Mugabe is reportedly “plotting” to contest for the Harare South parliamentary seat in next year’s general elections, which could open the way for her to be considered for a Cabinet post, it has been learnt.

Initial reports had indicated that the Zanu PF women’s league chairperson was eyeing Harare East or Mazowe, but it seems she has settled for Harare South, currently held by fellow party member, Shadreck Mashayamombe.

“She has made indications that she wants Harare South and the current MP has already been advised to ‘look for another constituency’,” a Zanu PF insider, who declined to be named, said.

“The First Lady’s people are already on the ground in the constituency.”

Harare South constituency is largely an informal settlement, where various Zanu PF officials are often seen fighting for land.

The ruling party has used housing co-operatives in the area as conduits to hold on to the constituency for over a decade now.

Contacted for comment, Mashayamombe dismissed the reports, saying: “We have not been approached as a province regarding that issue. I am hearing it from you.”

Grace’s ally and Zanu PF women’s league treasurer, Sarah Mahoka, also scoffed at the suggestions.

“People should find better things to do with their time than to continue with a smear campaign against the First Lady,” she said.

“She is a national leader and would not want to stoop that low to be an MP. What would she gain from that?

“I do not even have to consult her, but I can assure you it is not going to happen. She will not reduce herself to be an MP.”

However, sources close to the developments insisted the First Lady would represent Zanu PF in next year’s general elections.

“It’s a done deal. Well, nobody is going to stop her if she really wants and that is the way we have accepted it. We are still waiting for official communication though,” a provincial leader, who declined to be identified, said.

The First Lady, with the backing of a faction known as G40, is locked in a bitter tussle for power with Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa, as senior figures in the ruling party look beyond President Robert Mugabe, who turns 93 in two weeks.

Zanu PF youth league leader, Kudzai Chipanga, seemed to indicate that, while the First Lady had gone quiet, she was still a contender.

“It is not secret that the youth league and the women’s league work closely together, hence, we will have no problem with supporting a woman to any position of the party, including the Presidency, as long as it is done according to the dictates of the Zanu PF constitution and, like I have said, that person must carry the name Mugabe,” he was quoted as having said. – Newsday

By Joice Mujuru| Fellow Citizens, we meet at this important juncture in our revolutionary journey as Zimbabwe People First. We are all aware of the mammoth task we face in democratising and liberating this country from the oppressive Zanu PF Regime.

We are equally aware of the desperate efforts by the Zanu PF Regime to ensure that Zimbabwe People First fails on its mandate to be the next Government. Without equivocation, it is on public record that Mugabe has boasted that there shall be ZimPF one, two and so on.

As anticipated, the regime is desperate because of the exponential growth of our party and the fact that the party is firmly rooted on ensuring that the ideals of the revolution return to the citizenry.

As a Party, we have decided to take stern measures against elements determined to stall the progress that the party has been making. As a result we have decided to eject some of the colleagues and comrades we thought would stand with the People’s cause but have chosen to be agents of the regime. All sorts of tricks, ranging from coup d’état and sophisticated infiltration, have taken centre stage with a view to delaying the People’s cause of unequivocal liberation.

Having done extensive consultation within the rank and file of the Party and also in my capacity as the President of the Party with the executive authority to ensure its wellbeing, I hereby announce the expulsion of the following members from Zimbabwe people First Party with immediate effect:
1. Rugare Enock Ngidi Gumbo
2. Didymus N. E. Mutasa
3. Margaret Dongo
4. Kudakwashe Bhasikiti-Chuma
5. Luckson Kandemiri
6. Munacho Mutezo
7. Cloudious Makova

We assure Zimbabweans that more heads are going to roll in this revolutionary cleansing exercise. We remain committed to the democratisation of Zimbabwe. We remain committed to a coalition of progressive opposition forces to fight and remove Zanu PF from office.
Above all, we remain committed to liberating Zimbabweans in totality.
May God Bless Zimbabwe,
I thank you.

Joice Mujuru

By Staff Reporter | Norton Town Council on Wednesday morning pounced on vendors who were selling food stuffs in front of the OK supermarket in the town.

This comes after at the weekend, Norton Member of Parliament, Temba Mliswa, threatened to fire the entire local authority’s top leadership for incompetence.

Mliswa charged that the council was failing to evict vendors selling food stuffs in line with the government’s anti-typhoid ministerial directive.

Norton council bosses had indicated that these were some pro-Zanu PF groupings who were proving to be untouchable.

Standard Chartered’s Zimbabwe-based unit has cancelled the use of Visa cards outside the country as Zimbabwe continues to grapple with dollar shortages.

In a notice published in a local newspaper, Standard Chartered said the bank has cancelled the use of its Visa cards outside Zimbabwe with immediate effect.The bank explained the action has been taken to “ensure best use of the increasingly scarce foreign currency resources which is disbursed in line with the priority list issued by the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) if and when available”.

Foreign currency shortages forced the RBZ to come up with a priority list meant to “promote efficient utilisation of foreign exchange and to re-orient import demand towards productive uses”. The list guides banks in the distribution of foreign currency towards competing demands.

Standard Chartered however said the ban is not outright, as clients who wish to use their cards outside Zimbabwe may apply for special consideration 72 hours prior to their departure.

“Customers are requested to submit evidence of all the expected expenses to be incurred whilst travelling outside the country.”

Zimbabwe has been experiencing foreign currency shortages and as at November 2016, balances at nostro accounts were at $163.4m while cash in bank vaults only amounted to $232m.

The RBZ said the country requires at least $450m in nostro accounts, while University of Zimbabwe economics lecturer Ashok Chakravat said the country needs in excess of $900m in cash to curb the liquidity crisis. – Fin24

Throngs of protesters descended on Robert Mugabe’s embassy in London to complain about the incarceration of Pastor Evan Mawarire. Tinotenda Mrewa and Newman Richards speak in the below video:

TRAILBLAZING social activist and cleric, Evan Mawarire has been nominated for the prestigious 2017 Index on Censorship Freedom of Expression Awards.

This came as Mawarire’s bail appeal hearing at the High Court failed to take off yesterday, as the State and defence counsels haggled over procedural irregularities.

Mawarire, leader of the #ThisFlag campaign, leads a cast which also includes Behrouz Boochani, an Iranian Kurdish journalist, who documents the life of indefinitely-interned Australian asylum seekers in Papua New Guinea; China’s Wang Liming, a famed political cartoonist known as Rebel Pepper; Ildar Dadin, an imprisoned Russian opposition activist, who became the first person convicted under the country’s public assembly law; Daptar, a Dagestani initiative tackling women’s issues like female genital mutilation; and Serbia’s Crime and Corruption Reporting Network (KRIK).

A 29-YEAR-OLD Zvishavane man, who assaulted a member of the Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) before robbing him of his service pistol was yesterday jailed to 28 months for the offence.

Noel Kurura of Tangwe village in Zvishavane and an accomplice, Tapiwa Gundu, who is still at large, assaulted Kudakwashe Mazura before robbing him of his gun after the latter, had offered them a lift to the mining town.

Zvishavane magistrate, Shepherd Munjanja convicted Kurura of robbery and unlawful possession of a firearm.

Prosecutor, Amos Ncube told the court that on November 8 last year at around 2pm, Mazura was driving along Zvishavane-Gweru road, when he offered a lift to Kurura and Gundu at the Unki mine turn off.

A 50-YEAR-OLD Harare man was yesterday jailed for 18 years after he “tested” his purportedly dysfunctional manhood on a six-year-old girl from his neighbourhood.

The rape occurred on Sunday at a farming settlement close to the city.

The rapist was jailed on his own plea of guilty to raping a Grade One pupil when he appeared before Harare magistrate Themba Kuwanda.

The court suspended six years of the sentence on condition of good behaviour.

During mitigation, the man told the court that he committed the offence to check if his manhood was now functional after he was alledgedly bewitched by his estranged wife in 1999.

“Your worship, I was bewitched by my ex-wife when we separated in 1999 and since that period to now, I only had sexual intercourse four times and I wanted to see if my erectile dysfunction had been healed,” he said, before magistrate Kuwanda told him he should have hired a sex worker instead of causing irreparable physical and psychological damage to a toddler.

The court heard that on Sunday, the infant was sent by her father to collect a grass cutter at the rapist’s residence, where she was eventually raped.

The girl’s parents reported the matter and a medical report produced in court confirmed sexual penetration.

Valerie Ngoma appeared for the State. – Newsday

MINES deputy minister Fred Moyo has reportedly defied an order from his ministry to vacate a lucrative gold mine in Masvingo province.

Moyo is linked to a mining interest, Tambanashe Enterprises, which has been fighting for control of Lennox Mine for several years against Two Flags Trading despite the latter having won the ownership row.

According to documents, Moyo’s mining interests were previously under Larmona Enterprises before they were transferred to Tambanashe Enterprises.

In a letter dated January 24 this year, Masvingo acting provincial mines director, an S Mpindiwa, ordered Moyo to pull out of the disputed mine.

“Following our letter dated January 19, 2017, which notified you of our intention to cancel your certificate of registration, please be advised that mining operations and allied activities on the mining locations are, hereby, suspended with immediate effect,” Mpindiwa said.

The letter was copied to Mines minister Walter Chidakwa and ministry secretary, Francis Gudyanga.

Two Flags Trading bought the mine in 2003 from Reedbuck Investments through the liquidator, Robert Michael McIndoe, before Moyo’ firm claimed ownership of the same mine.

In 2007, the ownership wrangle was brought before the High Court in Bulawayo, where Moyo was cited as the second respondent.

Justice Nicholas Ndou ruled in favour of Two Flags Trading and ordered Moyo to stay off the property or face jail.

The court also ordered Moyo and Larmona Enterprises to pay Z$2 000 000 for each day they spent at the mine.

But, in an interview yesterday, Tambanashe Enterprises general manager, Edgar Mashindi, disputed allegations that they were mining illegally.

“This issue has already been settled and the Mines ministry, police and any other sector have been barred from visiting the mine. You need to be on the ground to see the exact picture and not those orders you are referring to,” he said. – Newsday

You’re out of God’s covenant if you don’t give $77 – Makandiwa

Staff Reporter| UFIC founder Emmanuel Makandiwa says people cannot have a relationship with God unless they give money. The preacher in December announced through his spokesman, Prime Kufa that any adult who fails to give out at least $77 has been left out of God’s covenant. The seed demand was in 7s beginning with 77$, $770, $7700, and $77000.

Weeks later, Makandiwa would come out announcing that anyone who does not agree with his demand can leave his church.

The development has drawn public anger with some saying due to the national economy, why does the preacher not ask for “7 cents, 7 rand, 7 bond?.”

Another observer said, “Why does the devil do this? why lying to our King Jesus Christ. making people misinterpret the bible. This is absolutely ridiculous.

“I believe one day we shall make the devil lose the battle, which he seems winning at the moment. making people misinterpret the bible, lying to the almighty king Jesus what he does not do.

“Honestly Jesus never used to make any one pay for any deliverance or blessing during his time.

He was so loving he healed thousands of people fed them without making them pay. But what the devil is doing to these pastors is beyond ridicule, unbelievable.

I feel very sorry for people who going to pay these moneys, so sorry.”

A ZESA power substation in Bulawayo’s Mpopoma suburb caught fire yesterday causing power outages in some parts of the city.

Two electricity transformers were destroyed in the inferno, an official said. Zesa Southern Region general manager Engineer Lovemore Chinaka said they were investigating the matter.

“It’s too early, people are yet to go to the scene and establish what happened,” said Eng Chinaka.
Bulawayo City Council’s fire and ambulance department assisted to put out the inferno.
Acting Bulawayo chief fire officer Mr Edward Phiri said the fire started when Zesa technicians were working at the site.

“They were working when a short circuit occurred resulting in two transformers in the substation catching fire. The substation has 16 transformers all together. “Fortunately no one was injured in the process,” said Mr Phiri.

He said the emergency department was conducting its own investigations on the cause of the fire.

“They may have said the fire was caused by a short circuit in the transformers but we need to do our investigations that give us satisfaction on the matter,” Mr Phiri said.
Some parts of the city experienced power outages following the fire incident that occurred at around 12PM. – state media

#ThisFlag pastor Evan Mawarire who was arrested by authorities last week after arriving in Zimbabwe, has made it into the shortlist for the Google sponsored 2017 Index on Censorship Freedom of Expression Awards.

Mawarire is sitting at the top of the list with 3 others: an Iranian Kurdish journalist covering his life as an interned Australian asylum seeker, one of China’s most notorious political cartoonists, and an imprisoned Russian human rights activist.

Drawn from more than 400 crowdsourced nominations, the shortlist celebrates artists, writers, journalists and campaigners overcoming censorship and fighting for freedom of expression against immense obstacles. Many of the 16 shortlisted nominees are regularly targeted by authorities or by criminal and extremist groups for their work: some face regular death threats, others criminal prosecution or exile.

“The creativity and bravery of the shortlist nominees in challenging restrictions on freedom of expression reminds us that a small act — from a picture to a poem — can have a big impact. Our nominees have faced severe penalties for standing up for their beliefs. These awards recognise their courage and commitment to free speech,” said Jodie Ginsberg, CEO of campaigning nonprofit Index on Censorship.

Awards are offered in four categories: arts, campaigning, digital activism and journalism.

Nominees include Pastor Evan Mawarire whose frustration with Zimbabwe’s government led him to the #ThisFlag campaign; Behrouz Boochani, an Iranian Kurdish journalist who documents the life of indefinitely-interned Australian asylum seekers in Papua New Guinea; China’s Wang Liming, better known as Rebel Pepper, a political cartoonist who lampoons the country’s leaders; Ildar Dadin, an imprisoned Russian opposition activist, who became the first person convicted under the country’s public assembly law; Daptar, a Dagestani initiative tackling women’s issues like female genital mutilation that are rarely discussed publicly in the country; and Serbia’s Crime and Corruption Reporting Network (KRIK), which was founded by a group of journalists to combat pervasive corruption and organised crime.

Other nominees include Hungary’s Two-tail Dog Party, a group of satirists who parody the country’s political discourse; Honduran LGBT rights organisation Arcoiris, which has had six activists murdered in the past year for providing support to the LGBT community  and lobbying the country’s government; Luaty Beirão, a rapper from Angola, who uses his music to unmask the country’s political corruption; and Maldives Independent, a website involved in revealing endemic corruption at the highest levels in the country despite repeated intimidation.

Judges for this year’s awards, now in its 17th year, are Harry Potter actor Noma Dumezweni, Hillsborough lawyer Caiolfhionn Gallagher, former Vanity Fair editor Tina Brown, designer Anab Jain and music producer Stephen Budd.

Dumezweni, who plays Hermione in the stage play Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, was shortlisted earlier this year for an Evening Standard Theatre Award for Best Actress. Speaking about the importance of the Index Awards she said: “Freedom of expression is essential to help challenge our perception of the world”.

Winners, who will be announced at a gala ceremony in London on 19 April, become Index on Censorship Freedom of Expression Awards Fellows and are given support for their work, including training in areas such as advocacy and communications.

“The GreatFire team works anonymously and independently but after we were awarded a fellowship from Index it felt like we had real world colleagues. Index helped us make improvements to our overall operations, consulted with us on strategy and were always there for us, through the good times and the pain,” Charlie Smith of GreatFire, 2016 Freedom of Expression Awards Digital Activism Fellow.

This year, the Freedom of Expression Awards are being supported by sponsors including SAGE Publishing, Google, Vodafone, media partner CNN, VICE News, Doughty Street Chambers, Psiphon and Gorkana. Illustrations of the nominees were created by Sebastián Bravo Guerrero.

A ZESA power substation in Bulawayo’s Mpopoma suburb caught fire yesterday causing power outages in some parts of the city.

Two electricity transformers were destroyed in the inferno, an official said.

Zesa Southern Region general manager Engineer Lovemore Chinaka said they were investigating the matter.

“It’s too early, people are yet to go to the scene and establish what happened,” said Eng Chinaka.

Bulawayo City Council’s fire and ambulance department assisted to put out the inferno.

Acting Bulawayo chief fire officer Mr Edward Phiri said the fire started when Zesa technicians were working at the site.

“They were working when a short circuit occurred resulting in two transformers in the substation catching fire. The substation has 16 transformers all together. “Fortunately no one was injured in the process,” said Mr Phiri.

He said the emergency department was conducting its own investigations on the cause of the fire.

“They may have said the fire was caused by a short circuit in the transformers but we need to do our investigations that give us satisfaction on the matter,” Mr Phiri said.

Some parts of the city experienced power outages following the fire incident that occurred at around 12PM. – State Media

Zanu PF Buhera West MP Oliver Mandipaka has asked Parliament to give rural legislators at least two cars, arguing that most of the lawmakers become destitute following expiry of their terms.

The former police spokesperson said the welfare of parliamentarians “must be taken seriously”.

He told the House of Assembly last week that “… members who represent constituencies deep down in the rural areas and, I am one of them . . . have bad roads to the extent that at the expiry of the five year term, I will be having no Ford Ranger at all”.

“We cannot be destitute after leaving this Parliament. So we pray that the budget for this august House is going to be raised so that we are catered for,” Mandipaka said.

“So all it means is that if perhaps we get two or more vehicles, we will be able to access rugged terrains,” he said.

Currently, Parliament gives MPs a choice of one off-road vehicle between a Ford Everest and a Ranger.

Mandipaka’s demands come as Parliament filed summons against six former legislators who left without servicing their vehicle loans.

Former Zanu PF chief whip, Kudakwashe Bhasikiti (Mwenezi East) and ex-Energy minister Dzikamai Mavhaire (Masvingo Central), are among those targeted for the action.

In summons filed at the High Court last month, Parliament seeks to recover a total of $258 809 in unpaid vehicle loans advanced to the legislators during their terms of office.

MPs earn $800 and have a sitting allowance of $75.
“After the expiry of five years, perhaps I might not be coming back into Parliament, I will be able to look good to the constituents, look good to the people, because we want to continue portraying a positive image of the Parliament,” he said.

Mandipaka said parliamentarians should this year get their Constituency Development Funds (CDF) — a cash pay-out aimed at the promotion of community-driven development.

In his 2017 National Budget, Finance minister Patrick Chinamasa reinstated a $50 000 vote for each constituency, saying the cash would be allocated under Parliament pending the promulgation of the necessary legislation to govern the fund.

The paucity of the regulation framework of the fund — first introduced during the fragile inclusive government and suspended in 2013 — was the reason why the fund was held in abeyance for all these years.

Some unscrupulous MPs across the political divide took advantage of the regulatory loopholes in the fund to pillage the CDF, which they converted to their own use.

“I pray that for this financial year, MPs should get their CDF. Why do I say so?
“The impression that is created by people who we represent is that we have everything.  Even the budget, they think it is within our control.

“So in other words, I am supporting the debate by (Mabvuku Tafara MDFC MP James) Maridadi that the welfare of MPs should be taken seriously, especially this financial year because it is important for MPs to be catered for so that they discharge their duties in earnest.”

Mandipaka said there was an impression created that Parliament was less important than the executive.

“That is a misnomer. I want to strongly believe that what the executive does, what the Judiciary does and what Parliament does, these things are equally very important for the smooth running of the nation and so when it comes to the welfare of members of this august House, we want to seriously take a re-look and say, are we giving enough to members for their sustenance?” he asked.

“Are we providing enough for honourable members so that they are able to conduct their day-to-day duties in various constituencies?” – Daily News

Government has established a new computerised system that will detect criminals and motorists who have not paid for vehicle licences at roadblocks and toll gates, Home Affairs Minister Dr Ignatius Chombo has said. Dr Chombo said since last week, trial runs were being held to check the compatibility of the technology. “We have come up with a system where if one comes across any road block, the car is scanned by the equipment and it reveals the full status of that car in terms of ownership, registration and fines which may be due and so on,” said Dr Chombo while speaking in Parliament.

“Someone who may be found on the wrong side is apprehended on the roadblock. On the other hand, when you pass through a toll gate, the police officer will scan your vehicle and it will reveal all the details of the car and the owner of the vehicle.

“We are now computerised and we are assured that thieves will be arrested. However, good citizens will be able to go through these road blocks without hassles.” Dr Chombo said the new technology was also able to record the money paid at road blocks.

“The machine is able to identify the police officer on a road block and the amount of money paid,” he said. “It also enables the collection of funds for Zimbabwe National Road Administration and the local authorities and the computerised system transfers the money to respective institutions.” – State Media

Zimbabwe’s crippling cash shortage has left a black hole in the financial system that’s crushing the rest of the economy.

“We deposit the cash and it becomes theoretical, ephemeral,” Mohamed Salam, who owns several small stores selling building supplies in Harare, the capital, said in an interview. “My bank balance says it’s there, but it isn’t. I can make payments electronically to local suppliers, but I can’t pay foreign suppliers.”

The liquidity squeeze has left companies unable to pay their workers in cash and foreign suppliers, driving many out of business, and added to the ranks of more than 3 million people who’ve become economic exiles. The economy probably shrank 0.3 percent last year and is set to contract 2.5 percent this year, according to the International Monetary Fund.

Zimbabwe abandoned its own currency eight years ago and adopted mainly the dollar, initially halting hyperinflation. Now, with a floundering economy and a strong dollar stoking imports and curtailing exports, banknotes have virtually disappeared, prompting the central bank to order private lenders to cap customer cash withdrawals at $150 a week. While the Reserve Bank estimates about $4 billion is circulating in the economy, Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries President Busisa Moyo says the amount may be as little as $100 million, about a quarter of what he believes is needed.

“The economy is in what could turn into a death spiral,” Steve Hanke, a professor of applied economics at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore who studied the advent of hyperinflation in Zimbabwe, said in an e-mailed response to questions. He blamed the government of President Robert Mugabe, 92, for being “so incompetent and corrupt and prone to making bad economic policies.”

A dearth of foreign exchange forced brewer Delta Corp. Ltd., almost 23 percent owned by Anheuser-Busch InBev NV, and telecommunications company Econet Wireless Zimbabwe Ltd., the nation’s two biggest businesses, to suspend dividends and halt payments to foreign suppliers late last year. Both companies said they don’t foresee any operational disruptions. Econet shareholders agreed to a company plan to raise $130 million in foreign currency.

A number of retailers and other businesses are offering big discounts to cash-paying customers and limit the amounts they can charge on credit cards or refuse to accept them altogether.

“The country has run out of money and we have completely lost the ability to pay for imports,” said John Robertson, an independent economist in Harare. “This comes against a backdrop of falling productivity as companies fail to access vital inputs because there’s no foreign currency to pay for them. As long as government continues to do things that discourage both local and foreign investment into the productive sector, the situation can only get worse.”

The economy has halved in size since 2000, when militants backed by Mugabe seized white-owned farms, crippling agricultural output and exports. The government also deterred investment by enacting laws aimed at forcing some companies operating in the country to have majority black ownership and issuing conflicting messages on how they will be implemented.

In a bid to ease the banknote shortage and discourage cash hoarding, the government began distributing so-called bond notes in November, with about $88 million of the dollar-linked securities issued so far out of a planned $200 million that are backed by a loan from the African Export-Import Bank. While banks and most large retailers accept the proxy currency, many small stores, informal traders and taxi drivers won’t, or price them at as little as 70 percent of their dollar face value.

Hanke, who’s also director of the Troubled Currencies Project at the Washington, D.C.-based Cato Institute, said the decision to issue the bond notes was a disaster.

“Zimbabwe is no longer a pure dollarised system, but a mixed system, one that is bound to fail,” he said. “More bond notes will only add fuel to the demand for hoarding of what is viewed as being the superior currency and store of value in Zimbabwe, the U.S. dollar. As the issuance of bond notes increases in response to the hoarding frenzy, the premium on dollar notes to bond notes will widen and so will the distortions in the economy.” bloomberg

The Zimbabwe Stock Exchange says investigations into the conduct of its chief executive Alban Chirume will not be restricted to the Econet Wireless Zimbabwe debacle but will spread into other unprocedural and unethical conduct allegedly committed by him over a period of time.This comes after the ZSE board sent Mr Chirume on forced leave pending investigations mainly emanating from the debacle into Econet’s $130 rights issue which exposed the disconnect between the exchange’s board and its management. The disconnect saw Econet glide over a regulatory directive. However, cases against Mr Chirume have been building up and The Herald Business has been at the forefront in exposing some of them. Chairman Caroline Sandura said ZSE would not prolong the investigations and will assess the concerns raised accordingly.

“The investigations into the conduct of the chief executive will not be prolonged. We just want to look into possible areas of misconduct.”

Well placed sources say the issue of Econet was just a trigger as Mr Chirume already had pending cases which the board was looking into. As previously reported by this publication, Mr Chirume was at fault when Meikles was un-procedurally suspended from the ZSE.

There are also allegations on how he terminated the website contract with local company Big Law and other various occasions where he is said to have overrode the regulator and the board.

The ZSE board had raised concern over certain technical issues which it wanted Econet to address. But the telecommunications company proceeded with the EGM, arguing the initial approval made the Committee of the ZSE, a competent authority had not been withdrawn.

Reports say the initial approvals were allegedly done by Mr Chirume who disregarded concerns raised by the Listing Committee which is chaired by Mr Bart Mswaka.

Mr Chirume said the ZSE’s role was not to approve transactions but to ensure that the company provides all the required disclosures per the ZSE’s Listings Requirements to enable shareholders to make informed decisions on transactions presented to them.

He said the approval of the circular by the ZSE was not an opinion on the transaction as the issues raised were the Exchange Control matters, which were beyond the purview of the ZSE.

“You will rightfully note that the transaction should be approved by the shareholders first before an Exchange Control approval is granted. In addition, the ZSE resolved that Econet applies for an Exchange Control blanket approval which has been disclosed in the circular.

“We believe that any further questions should be directed to the company proposing the transaction,” said Mr Chirume.

Stockbrokers who spoke to The Herald Business yesterday welcomed the move to investigate the CEO.

“It is something that we expected (action against the CEO). I do not want to rush to make a conclusion but I think the board’s decision should have been respected. This is not good for our market and we don’t want such a thing to happen,” said one stockbroker who requested not to be named.

Another stockbroker said the board should take its time to clear the mess and take action against any party found guilty.

“By taking the decision, they must have strong suspicion that there are problems and we need that to be investigated thoroughly,” said the broker. – State Media

People criticising #Pastor Evan Mawarire saying he is a CIO agent simply because lawyer Fadzayi Mahere shot a video with the preacher while under police custody, are mistaken, analysts say. If Mahere and Mawarire are CIOs, then dancehall singer, Soul Jah Love is also an intelligence agent because he was also once snapped while in police custody.

But some argue against the blanket.

One Herbert Chikosi says “I think the biggest suspicion was impugned by Fadzai when she got excited and shot those selfies in political communication it was a serious dent both to Pastor E’s credibility considering panosungwa vanhu maphone haabvumirwe, we are in a struggle and mirages can be real roads.”

Another critic, Francis Madhanzi also added saying, “the zimbos that I know will never be fooled, coerced or manipulated to support this so called pastor. A CIO who masquerades as a revolutionist.”

But Arnold Chamunogwa charged asking, “Is Souljah Love a CIO because of his photos when he was arrested?”

Pictures of Soul Jah Love incarcerated at a police station show the singer hand-smashing a ZRP cop during that serious time.

US commentator, Wellington Mahohoma says people are making allegations that Pastor Evan is a CIO operative simply because one of his lawyers, Fadzayi Mahere, shot a video whilst in company of state agents and police officers.”

He continued, “I say in ‘the company of’ because he was still to be charged. He was even polite to allow the thugs to cuff him.

“More worrying is that some of these comments are coming from prominent human rights defenders. It makes me wonder, how then can we defend when we do not know the basic rights as defined and guaranteed by our constitution.

“We have normalized the abnormal, legitimized the illegitimate and continue to accept barbaric criminal activities of the regime. Its not surprising that we have those advocating and promoting #HumanRights in Zimbabwe end up begging and applying for police clearances.

“You see those who claim to know the constitution bribing for their freedom at roadblocks. Those who promote freedom of speech are quick to close spaces for those with different views.

“Living the constitution under this regime is a difficult task which however remains the only option out of this mess.

“Let us do what we preach, above all let us understand the word -constitution- before we preach. #FreePastorEvan #ThisFlag #Tajamuka.”

HIGH Court Judge Justice Clement Phiri on Tuesday 07 February 2017 postponed the hearing on a bail application filed by Pastor Evan Mawarire to Wednesday 08 February 2017 to allow the State to respond to the clergyman’s freedom bid.

The High Court was initially set to hear Pastor Mawarire’s bail application on Tuesday 07 February 2017 after his lawyer Harrison Nkomo of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights filed the application on Monday 06 February 2017.

But Justice Phiri on Tuesday 07 February 2017 deferred hearing of the bail application to Wednesday 08 February 2017 to allow the State represented by Edmore Nyazamba and Tapiwa Kasema of the National Prosecuting Authority to file their response.

In his application, Pastor Mawarire asked the High Court to allow him to pay $100 in bail money, to surrender his passport and to report to Zimbabwe Republic Police officers once a week on Fridays until the matter is finalised.

Pastor Mawarire argued that there is no risk that he will abscond or commit other offences if granted bail.

The clergyman had to petition the High Court for admission to bail after Harare Magistrate Elisha Singano on Friday 03 February 2017 remanded him in custody after he dismissed an application filed by his lawyer challenging his placement on remand.

Nkomo had asked Magistrate Singano to release the clergyman after challenging the State’s request to place him on remand. In his application, Nkomo argued that the arrest and detention of the clergyman was illegal, unlawful and violated his constitutional rights. He also argued that the charges pressed against Pastor Mawarire did not amount to an offence.

But Magistrate Singano dismissed Pastor Mawarire’s application and remanded him in custody to 17 February 2017. The Magistrate advised Pastor Mawarire’s lawyer to approach the High Court for the determination of bail.

Pastor Mawarire was arrested on Wednesday 01 February 2017 by Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) officers upon his return to the country and charged with subverting a constitutional government as defined in Section 22 (2) (a) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act Chapter 9:23.

On Thursday 02 February 2017, the ZRP officers added more woes to Pastor Mawarire after they charged him with insulting the national flag in contravention of Section 6 of the Flag of Zimbabwe Act Chapter 10:10 and inciting public violence as defined in Section 36 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act Chapter 9:23. – ZLHR

PARENTS whose children learn at Seventh Day Adventist-run Solusi High School are up in arms with the school’s administration after a boarding master severely assaulted some Form One pupils resulting in five being hospitalised.

School officials are said to have been protecting the man at the centre of the storm — Mr Methuseli Ncube — as there have been complaints in the past, but no action was taken against him.

During visiting day to the school on Sunday, some parents found their children nursing injuries and when the pupils were interrogated they opened up on the abuse for various alleged misdemeanours.

Angry parents told the state media that school and church officials were reluctant to act on Mr Ncube.

The pupils were allegedly assaulted on different dates since schools opened last month and the latest incident occurred some time last week.

A source said Form Six pupils recorded Mr Ncube beating up one of the pupils.

The state media could not get the voice recording but tracked one of the hospitalised boys at a local hospital who narrated his ordeal.

He revealed that pupils were severely assaulted after delaying to go to the dining hall to eat.
The schoolboy said on the day, Mr Ncube beat them up using a thick stick.

“This was not the first time that he beat us up like that. He clamps our heads tightly between his legs and then bashes us with a log, a stick, fists or anything that he can get hold of. Most of the times, he insults us with obscenities, even referring to our parents’ private parts. He even boasts that no one can do anything to him because he claims he is untouchable. If it was up to me I would just transfer from this school. It is even making me hate my childhood church,” said the boy in-between sobs, as he narrated his story.

One of the parents who approached the state media said when she found her child nursing wounds on Sunday, she immediately decided to withdraw him from the school. She described Mr Ncube’s conduct as inhumane and brutal for someone working at a Christian school.

“I just had to withdraw my son from Solusi in peace. I am not happy about the treatment that children are being subjected to. This is not what Solusi used to be like during our days.

“As a parent imagine how traumatising it is to get to your child’s school for visiting day and you find him in such a terrible state. We actually had to take our kid immediately to hospital as he was even struggling to speak, that is how bad it was,” said the mother who preferred to be anonymous.

Investigations revealed that this is not the first time that Mr Ncube, who could not be reached for comment yesterday, has been in the eye of the storm.

In 2015 a visiting team comprising senior school officials, auditors and senior church officials recommended to the School Development Committee that the school effectively bans corporal punishment.

Contacted for comment the SDC’s chairperson, identified as Mr Tshalimane said:
“I am not at the school right now. Actually I am in Plumtree hence I don’t know what you are talking about. Besides I was at the school on Sunday and I did not hear anything to that effect. Call me tomorrow (today) maybe I might have a comment for you.”

The school head, Mr Phanson Tshuma said he was not allowed to talk to the media.
However, a senior official at the school, who preferred anonymity fearing victimisation confirmed the matter.

“Honestly, that issue is there. Every time there is an SDC meeting the matter is raised but it seems the church is comfortable with Mr Ncube’s conduct, for some of us we cannot do anything because it might seem like we have a vendetta against him,” said the official.
Zimbabwe Union Conference of Seventh-Day Adventists communications official, Mr Nkosilathi Khumalo referred all questions to the executive director Southern Zimbabwe
conference, Mr Thabiso Sibanda.

A woman who answered Mr Sibanda’s phone said he would be in a position to talk after 45 minutes. When later called, she said it was impossible to talk to Mr Sibanda as he had other pressing matters.

“We have other commitments,” she said. -state media

AN inmate who escaped from Tsholotsho Prison has been re-arrested after villagers apprehended him at his sister’s home in Nyamandlovu.

Champion Sibanda (19) of Village 3 in Nyamandlovu had been jailed for 36 months for unlawful entry and theft and was due to be released in November 2018.
He escaped from prison last week on Thursday.

Villagers ambushed him on Sunday following a tip-off from his sister and handed him over to the police. Chief Deli said Sibanda was sold out by his sister.

“His sister informed other villagers that Sibanda was back at her home and was hiding. Sibanda’s sister had been warned earlier by police not to hide the culprit if ever he came to seek refuge at her home. Upon his arrival at his sister’s home in village 2, she notified neighbours who engaged others and they ambushed him at night,” he said.

The chief said the inmate was sent back to prison. “Bad apples should be removed from good ones and criminals should be uprooted from society.

“When villagers caught him, they called police to come and pick him up and he was taken to Tsholotsho police station where he was sent back to prison,” he said. A source close to investigations said Sibanda escaped while he was working outside the prison with nine other inmates.

“Ten inmates were working in the prison’s field which is about a kilometre away from the prison. The inmates were under the guard of two male prison officers when Sibanda fled,” he said.

“It is suspected he walked to Nyamandlovu through the bush.”

Join ZimEye right now as we put pressure on Education Minister Lazarus Dokora on the resignation blow-up, his chaotic, tedious school curriculum, his documented looting of school fees, and his continuous failure to pay teachers’ salaries. The program starts in 10 minutes’ time LIVE VIDEO LOADING… .

Transport ministry permanent secretary, Munesu Munodawafa was yesterday taken to task by MPs to justify the various financial donations made by his ministry towards President Robert Mugabe’s birthday bashes.

Members of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Public Accounts sought to know why ministries and their parastatals always made a beehive to donate towards Mugabe’s birthday celebrations at a time most of them were struggling to stay afloat.

But, Munodawafa defended the advertisements and donations saying: “If it is a State or national event, the donation is done within the confines of good corporate governance and good corporate social responsibility. To the best of my knowledge, we have confined ourselves to national events. The Office of the President is a national institution.”

The committee also grilled Munodawafa for failing to submit payment vouchers worth $608 478 for the Harare-Mutare Road when government auditors requested the documents.

In her 2014 report, Auditor-General Mildred Chiri noted that Treasury released $400 378 for the Harare-Mutate Road project, but the money was diverted to pay outstanding invoices for other road projects, which were not catered for in the 2014 National Budget.

The unbudgeted-for projects that were financed were the Harare-Masvingo Road ($199 785), Shamva-Bindura ($58 965), Harare-Gweru ($54 473), Makuti reseal unit ($45 027) and Manyame Bridge ($41 790).

Munodawafa said while the Harare-Mutare Road project was ongoing, there were some long outstanding ones that had not been paid for since 2012 and had attracted litigation to the extent that the ministry took funds from the Harare-Mutare Road construction to pay the debts.

He was also taken to task for buying an eco-roads soil stabiliser to strengthen dust roads at a cost of $320 000 without going to tender.

Munodawafa conceded that his ministry erred and apologised to the committee, but said the stabiliser procured was used for research purposes.

The committee also heard that in 2013, the Department of Roads illegally paid out $97 630 bonuses to contract workers, but Munodawafa said most of the transactions were made before he became secretary in the ministry. – Newsday

Terrence Mawawa, Shurugwi | A self-proclaimed prophet, Jefias Nyika forcibly had sex with a 15-year-old schoolgirl after her mother took her to the prophet’s house. The woman took her daughter to Nyika’s house and sat at the door as the prophet raped her daughter.

The woman, identified as Chingweshe took her daughter to Nyika’s house to thank him for the spiritual work he had done for the family. Facts according to the State were that on January 12, Chingweshe took her daughter to Nyika ‘s house at around 10 pm.

The ‘prophet’ then had sex with the girl as the mother sat at the doorstep. On the following day the minor’s relatives heard what had transpired and reported the matter to the police leading to Chingweshe and Nyika’s arrest. The woman is being charged with enticing the minor into sexual intercourse while Nyika is being charged with contravening Chapter 9:23 (Criminal Law and Codification Act-having sex with a minor).

Human Rights groups, who spoke to ZimEye.com have expressed concern at the increase in cases of child sexual abuse in the name of religious acts. Mary Saidi a Masvingo based human rights activist said the trend was sad and unfortunate. “We have learnt of the increase in child sexual abuse cases with sadness.We call on stakeholders to come together to eradicate the abuse of underage girls.We strongly condemn the abuse of underage girls,”said Saidi.

A 24-year-old Ruwa man who was arrested on allegations of forging academic documents appeared at the Harare Magistrates’ Courts last Thursday and was remanded to March 1 on $100 bail.

Tatenda Munetsi appeared before Harare magistrate Mrs Rumbidzai Mugwagwa facing charges of possessing articles for criminal use.

It is alleged that Munetsi, of 2554 Chinamaropa Road in Ruwa, operates a printing, photocopying and binding business at Eland Shopping Centre in Ruwa where the offences took place.

The court heard that on January 31 this year, police received a tip-off to the effect that Munetsi was producing fake academic certificates in Ruwa.
Acting on the tip-off, police detectives went to the said shopping centre and a search was carried and various items, including fake Zimbabwe School Examinations Council Ordinary Level certificates in the names of Emmalance Pabwe, Bridget V. Ziki and Yunicorn Fungai Jakata, were recovered.

It is further alleged that a fake Msasa Industrial Training College certificate in the name of Fanuel W. Lloyd, eight fake Zimbabwe Special Air Service certificates in the name of Corporal Kevin Sikosana and a Dell computer used by Munetsi to produce the fake certificates were also recovered from his business premises.

Prosecutor Miss Audrey Chogumaira told the court that the certificates were verified with the relevant authorities who confirmed that they were not authentic. – state media

ZESA Holdings is in the process of mobilising funding to whittle down its debt to South Africa’s Eskom after the value of power imports under a Government guarantee reached the limit of 500 million rand.The situation has presented challenges for ZESA, which has been struggling to make foreign payments due to the foreign currency situation in Zimbabwe.

When ZESA agreed on the power import deal with Eskom, it initially had to pay about $7 million upfront per month, before negotiating a more flexible weekly installment (or around $1.7 million) as foreign currency became elusive.

“ZESA is looking at ways of raising funding. The funding is meant to support operations, but will have a component for repaying the debt to Eskom. The problem (with the Eskom debt) is that ZESA is not getting enough foreign currency allocations from RBZ,” a source said.

Attempts to get official comment from ZESA were not successful at the time of going to print, but sources privy to the developments confirmed that the power utility was working flat out to clear the debt to Eskom.

Clearing or reducing the debt would leave ZESA with latitude to continue to receive power from Eskom in terms of the guarantee extended by Government, without having to pay for the imports upfront.

In fact, Eskom demanded the Government guarantee after noting that Zesa Holdings was struggling to keep pace with the debt arising from the power it was getting from its South African counterpart.

Highly placed sources told The Herald that the power utility had come up with a proposal on how it intends to pay off the debt to Eskom, about $35 million. The funds sought would cover other areas of operations.

ZESA has a non-firm agreement with Eskom in terms of which it can import up to 300 megawatts, depending on the situation in South Africa, mean Eskom may not export if local demand is too high.

Sources said, however, that Zesa has since submitted a debt clearance proposal to Eskom, while at the same time working on mobilizing funding through various unnamed means to clear the debt.

As Zesa struggled to make foreign payments and the debt to Eskom ballooned and exceeded the guarantee provided by Government, Eskom is said to have expressed reservations to the extent that it, allegedly, once contemplated cutting supplies to Zimbabwe.

Secretary for Energy and Power Development Patson Mbiriri recently indicated that Eskom was no longer insisting “on its pound of flesh”, in terms of which ZESA would have to pay first before getting the power. But he pointed out that the power utility pays upfront as and when it has the funding ready for such an option. – State Media

The Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services (ZPCS) last week failed to take prisoners to court in Harare citing fuel shortages, at a time that prominent Pastor Evan Mawarire is due to appear in court.

Another Pastor Phillip Mugadza failed to appear in court apparently because there was no fuel.

The state media reports that the whole of last week, the court had to deal with cases of suspects who are out of custody.The “prisoners no-show” saga continued yesterday as suspects were again remanded in absentia. ZPCS spokesperson Superintendent Priscilla Mtembo said the ZPCS did not have adequate fuel to sustain its operations.

“We get our funds from the Government, hence we are working on the process this week so that we rectify the issue as soon as possible,” she said.

“We are aware of the delays that have been going on at the courts countrywide due to failure to bring prisoners to courts. Right now, we are in the process of procuring fuel and we believe the situation will return to normal soon,” she said.

In addition, Supt Mtembo said the vehicles which ferry suspects from prison cells to courts were also being serviced.

“We only have three vehicles for Harare courts – one for Harare Remand, Chikurubi Female and Chikurubi Maximum – and they are all off the road,” she said.

It was not clear how prison officers at the courts were going to transport prisoners to remand prison who appeared in court for their initial remand hearing and were denied bail.
In some courts, prosecutors were advising police officers to take back suspects to police holding cells.

Relatives of suspects held at Harare Central Remand Prison milled around the courts anticipating to see their beloved ones, but to no avail as they were in no-show.
The fuel crisis has severely affected the justice delivery service, with both victims of crime and suspects being denied their day in court.

This also creates a huge case backlog. A court official who preferred anonymity said the ZPCS should act fast and rectify the problems to avoid case backlogs.
“Something urgent should be done because some pending cases will be delayed hence, more backlog,” she said.

“It is holding us back and this will also have an impact on the overflow of prisoners at remand because they will continue piling up, while waiting their trials and rulings,” she said. – State Media

A SELF-proclaimed tsikamutanda from Gweru confessed to killing more than 100 people using marine spirits  he claims to have acquired from the underground world.

This comes after 46-year-old Musiyiwa Denhere of Mkoba 20 decided to repent from his evil ways by joining a local Pentecostal church.

Instead of his life getting better, it has since turned for the worst as the marine spirits which he used to work under are now demanding that he compensates them by sacrificing his three-year-old son or wife.

“I started practising as a tsikamutanda in 1989. I have been healing people with incurable diseases. I also used to assist some of my clients by killing their enemies. I would kill by lightning, accident, sudden death, BP or any other disease. I have killed more than 100 people using the powers l got from the marine spirits. Due to my works, six wives left me and that is when l decided that I have had enough of the life of darkness,” said Denhere.

“Things have turned for the worst since the day I repented. The marine spirits are haunting me day and night demanding that I sacrifice my son for the bond to be broken. After refusing to sacrifice my family, a thundering voice told me to destroy all the property that I acquired through the marine spirits. I had no option but to obey since the spirits had said that if I fail to comply I will die,” he added.

At Denhere’s home remnants of his destroyed property were all over when B-Metro arrived for the interview.

“After being attacked day and night by the spirits, I went back to the prophet who helped me to repent in search of deliverance but he is not willing to help. He keeps telling me that he is busy. I am therefore appealing to all the members of the public especially pastors who can help me deal with this nightmare,” said Denhere. – State Media

Zimbabwe is a stable country but its peace is being threatened by a sustained regime change agenda sponsored by the West that seeks to counter the successful land reform programme initiated by the Government at the turn of the millennium, Defence Minister Dr Sidney Sekeramayi has said.

He said this yesterday while addressing military officers attending Joint Command and Staff Course Number 30 in Harare on Zimbabwe’s defence policy.

“The major threat to Zimbabwe’s peaceful existence is the Western sponsored regime change agenda that has been strengthened by their opposition to our land reform programme which forms an integral feature of the Government’s policy and is in line with the ethos of the liberation struggle,” he said.

“The basic inspiration that we must regain is control over our God-given land both in terms of governance and also in terms of the use of the resources.

This has, obviously as we all know, led to an unrelenting attack on us by the West.
“The objective of the regime change agenda orchestrated by the West, led by the United Kingdom and the USA, is economic destabilisation through illegal economic sanctions, psychological information  warfare, inclusive political interference, diplomatic isolation and socio-cultural intrusion.

“There is no doubt that their ultimate objective is to cause economic hardship among the population so that they result in frustration, poverty and push them into revolt against the Government. Indeed people have been pushed into revolting against their governments.”
Dr Sekeramayi applauded Zimbabweans for shunning such unconstitutional deception.

He said the country’s economic blueprint — Zim-Asset — was aimed at transforming and empowering ordinary citizens economically.

“Zim-Asset was crafted for the purpose of guiding Government ministries and Zimbabweans in achieving sustainable development and social equity through indigenisation, empowerment, and that employment creation can be propelled by judicious exploitation of the country’s resources,” he said.

He outlined the four clusters under Zim-Asset saying they were the machinery that would enable the country to achieve economic growth.

Dr Sekeramayi said Zimbabwe pursued a non-aggressive and non-hostile defence policy.
As such, he said the country would not interfere in the affairs of other countries.
“Zimbabwe’s defence policy prioritises the country’s domestic stability and prevention of external aggression,” he said.

Zimbabwe always exhausted cardinal diplomatic principles of handling disputes with other countries and that had seen the country enjoying peace for the past 37 years.

“The country’s defence policy resonates with the country’s Look East policy which has enabled Zimbabwe Defence Forces to establish cordial relations with many armed forces with friendly countries in Asia and the Far East and has derived innumerable benefits from such relations. Zimbabwe subscribes to treaties, conventions and actions aimed at arms control.”

He said Zimbabwe does not aspire to develop any weapon of mass destruction, adding that the country had also participated in many peace-keeping missions across the globe. State Media

THE mother of a man who was shot dead, allegedly by his friend and buried in Hillside in Bulawayo yesterday expressed shock at the death of her son at the hands, of a person she said was like a family member.

Ms Patricia Danha said she was still trying to come to terms with the loss of her son Cyprian Kudzurunga (28) who was allegedly shot by his friend Rodney Tongai Jindu (25) of Glengarry last week on Sunday.

Jindu is thought to have killed Kudzurunga of Queens Park East before burying the body in a shallow grave at a vacant residential stand in Hillside.

The suspect then allegedly sent a text message to Ms Danha pretending to be her son who was suddenly leaving the country.

Ms Danha described her son, who was the chairperson for the Young Adults Association at the St Andrew’s Parish Roman Catholic Church in Queens Park East, as a man of sober habits.

“Tongai grew up in my hands and I’m sure there’s no corner that he doesn’t know in my house. He played with my son from childhood as we were once neighbours here in Queens Park. With the way they were so close, I cannot believe he then had the guts to kill him in such a gruesome way.

“Even after his family moved to Glengarry, he always came here to see my son and even though he had since stopped coming to church they were still close,” she said.

Ms Danha said she could not tell the motive behind the murder.

Jindu allegedly stole his friend’s laptop and cellphone which he sold in the city centre.

He was arrested last Friday after he gave inconsistent statements to the police. Jindu allegedly later confessed to killing his friend and led police to the shallow grave and the body was exhumed on Saturday.

A post mortem result seen by The Chronicle says Kudzurunga was fatally hit by two bullets, one in the head and the other one in the chest.

Ms Danha said her son was not a violent person who did not deserve to die in a violent manner.

She said on the fateful day, Jindu picked up her son from home.

“Jindu picked up my son right at this home and even requested that he brings along his laptop as he wanted to work on something. When he didn’t return home until 8 PM I sent him a message on WhatsApp checking on him as that was unlike him.

“He said they were driving around and when I tried his phone again at around 10PM, it was no longer reachable. I decided to phone the friend who said he had last seen him at around 4PM,” she said.

“I made a report with police for a missing person the following morning before I proceeded to search around at other police stations, if he could have been arrested.

“I checked with Hillside Police, Central Police and Nkulumane Police if probably they had any information on Cyprian but there was nothing,” she said.

Ms Danha said she phoned Jindu who shockingly sounded surprised that her son was still not home.

“After phoning him that morning, I received an SMS from Cyprian’s mobile number saying he was leaving the country.  The message read ‘I’m very sorry mama, I committed a crime and CID police is looking for me saka ndatiza (So I have run away). I’m heading towards Beitbridge now, leaving the country.’”

It later emerged, she claimed, that Jindu was in fact the one who sent the message to his victim’s mother.

Ms Danha said: “I immediately tried to phone back but the call was cut off. I sent back a message, pleading with him to come back home as running away was not the solution. I didn’t ask what he had done but simply begged him to come back home.

“To my shock, when I called Jindu, he equally sounded sympathetic and worried that Cyprian was not back home.”

She said on Tuesday she got a message from one of Kudzurunga’s friends saying her son had sent him an SMS saying he was travelling to Harare.

“Because of confusion and stress, this prompted me to go to look for him although family had confirmed he wasn’t there. I left on Wednesday and on Friday I received word that he had been killed,” said Ms Danha.

Police yesterday said investigations were continuing.

A source close to the investigations claimed that on the day of the murder, the two spent close to seven hours drinking alcohol at Jindu’s house.

On their way to Jindu’s place, the two bought a bottle of brandy which they drank. After 10 PM Kudzurunga then decided to walk home using a footpath linking Glengarry and Queens Park East. Jindu offered to escort him and allegedly killed him along the way. – State Media

The Law Society of Zimbabwe has also waded into the Chief Justice appointment legal battle, requesting to be admitted as a friend of the court, challenging Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

The development comes hot on the heels of a similar application by Harare lawyer, Beatrice Mtetwa.

In its application, the Law Society of Zimbabwe contends that it must be admitted on the basis that it is a regulatory body for the local legal profession.

The Law Society of Zimbabwe also views the matter as of much public interest and the court’s ruling on the same will have significant consequences for the constitution which shall be binding for years to come.

In a related development, Romeo Zibani through his legal representative, Jonathan Samukange last week Thursday wrote to the Registrar of the Supreme Court acknowledging not having filed heads of argument in the appeal lodged by the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) in which the commission is challenging the order by Justice Charles Hungwe which barred the holding of the public interviews last year.

Samukange said he genuinely believes the matter was not properly set down and the whole process is tainted.

He challenges the assertion by Addington Chinake, who represents the JSC that the Registrar of the Supreme Court has no power to remove a matter from the roll once it has been set.

Samukange added that he is of the view that the current appeal has not yet been referred to judges of the Supreme Court and therefore they are not yet seized with the matter.

He maintained that the registrar has the power to set any matter down for hearing and consequently to remove it from the roll.

The JSC could not however be drawn to comment on the contentious issue of whether the appeal has been taken up by any judges and if it is likely to proceed on the 13th of February. – State Media

A 32-year-old police officer allegedly picked a stone and a metal hoe, threatening to attack his colleagues after they arrested him for driving without a licence.

Luckmore Mandevere appeared before Harare magistrate Ms Tilda Mazhande facing charges of driving without a valid driver’s licence and threats of violence.

He was remanded on bail.

The prosecutor Mrs Devoted Nyagano-Gwashavanhu alleged that on December 9 last year at around 1pm, Mandevere was driving a red Toyota Raum registration number ACF 2426 into Dzivarasekwa police station in Harare.

The court heard that two police assistant inspectors and three sergeants saw Mandevere driving the vehicle.

He was asked to show his driver’s licence by his five superiors and failed to produce one.

He was subsequently arrested.

Verifications at the Central Vehicle Registry proved that Mandevere was not a holder of a driver’s licence.

It is alleged that on Unity Day last year, Mandevere was spotted driving the same vehicle along Robert Mugabe Road in Dzivarasekwa, but was arrested when he was now driving along Gunyana Road in the same suburb.

After being advised that he was under arrest, it is alleged that Mandevere disembarked and picked up a stone.

He tried to attack his colleague, Timothy Sibanda, with the stone, but he was overpowered and was arrested.

The court heard that in the charge office at Dzivarasekwa police station, Mandevere picked a metal hoe and threatened to strike another police officer, Arthur Kanyoka. – State Media

The Minister of State for Masvingo Province, Shuvai Mahofa is furious after a thriving Chiredzi Crocodile farm was invaded by a Zanu PF youth who claims to be armed with an offer letter.

The farm rears 17 000 crocodiles and employs 60 people and the invasion is putting the jobs at stake. The farm is also a major foreign currency earner with almost all products from it including crocodile skins exported.

A senior Government official who declined to be named said that the Minister met the directors of the crocodile project, Jeffrey Sommer and Stanford Gwanzura at her offices in Masvingo on Monday and promised to deal with the issue as a matter of urgency.

It is understood that the Minister has called for a Provincial Lands Committee meeting to be held before the end of this week.

Efforts to get a comment from Mahofa were fruitless.
The official said Mahofa questioned how the offer letter was issued in the first place.

Crocodile Farm Manager Wilson Gondo confirmed that his bosses met Mahofa on Monday. He also said the Provincial Lands Officer Tendai Mumera visited the farm last week and said efforts to locate the source of Gilbert Nyasha`s offer letter came to nought meaning the offer letter is not known in the province.

“I can confirm that my bosses Jeffrey Sommer and Stanley Gwanzura met Minister Mahofa on Monday after she summoned them to hear their side of the story regarding our project. According to them, the meeting was positive since Mahofa promised to solve the issue so that our operations will not be disturbed” said Gondo.

Nyasha who is a Zaka youth came to the farm which has 17000 crocodiles on January 1, this year armed with a 2012 offer letter and told the farm manager that he wanted them to move out since they are on his land. The farm is protected under BIPPA since its initial owners, the Sommer brothers are from Germany. – Mirror

Staff Reporter | Norbert Chikerema who is charged with murdering his wife Gillian Zvomuya, was missing from Court today.

The case was last Thursday lifted from magistrates court level up to the Crown Court.

Now today, a large crowd thronged the Birmingham Crown Court in the morning baying to see Mr Chikerema and hear more on the case, but more-so to hear what Mr Chikerema’s pleading is.

Chikerema however did not turn up due to an arrangement for him to speak in camera from prison, a court clerk explained to us saying.

More disappointment came however when it further emerged the video link system was not working. There was thus no pleading today.

The case is now to be heard on the 20th March and the final trial will be on the 31st July.

Media, Information and Broadcasting Services deputy minister Thokozile Mathuthu says she was worried ZBC-TV has failed to cover debates within the Senate adding she will follow up the snub with the public broadcaster.

She had been asked during a question and answer session in the upper house on Thursday if it was government policy for the public broadcaster to cover the lower house only, at the expense of the Senate.

“We do not see coverage of the Senate on ZTV,” said Senator Keresensia Chabuka in a question directed at Mathuthu.

“We expect to be covered and be visible in this august House because the people who elected us need to see us debating.

“We only see the National Assembly on ZTV. Does this mean that we are not as powerful as the National Assembly or we are not representing the people?”

In her response, Mathuthu said it was nowhere in the country’s laws for ZBC to confine their broadcasts to debates in the lower house leaving out the Senate.

“It is not in the statutes of this country that this House should not be covered by media at all,” Mathuthu said.

“I am also worried because I would also like to appear on television. May the Honourable Members in this distinguished House allow me to take this matter further?

“When I came in, I thought I saw a lady with a camera coming here so I am equally surprised that our House is not receiving due attention, which we are entitled to as legislators. So, I will definitely take it up with the Hon. Minister and the CEO of ZBC, Mr. Mavhura.”

ZBC-TV often makes live coverage during parliament’s Wednesday sessions when cabinet ministers come to the august house to respond to questions from backbenchers.

Zimbabwe’s Senate is often ridiculed and described a retirement home as it comprises older politicians who have apparently lost enthusiasm to debate issues.

This is different from the lower house which is first to debate laws and often sees robust debate among opposing MPs.

Laws passed by the lower house often pass through the upper house with little or no alterations, earning the upper house the unenviable status of a virtual rubberstamping institution. Radio VOP

FORGET passwords and patterns, a Bulawayo woman sleeps with her cellphone well placed in her panties to keep her “private” messages and calls from her nosy husband.

Elizabeth Musoni resorted to sleeping with her mobile phone in panties because she was tired of her husband, Richard Muvirimi, demanding explanations about every message and call received.

“I don’t have peace anymore and I can’t even sleep peacefully because he wakes me up whether it’s at dawn or midnight asking about the messages and calls I receive. I felt it was best to put the phone in my panties because that way he won’t be bothered by my calls and messages,” said Musoni.

Muvirimi said he started getting suspicious of his wife when a man she claimed to be her uncle spent the night at their home and started sending his wife love messages.

“The reason why I wanted explanations is because the man she brought to our home and introduced as an uncle has been sending her love messages and calling non-stop. He even spent a night at our house but her relatives do not know him,” said Muvirimi.

He said ever since his wife introduced the “uncle” she had been receiving messages and calls from him all the time.

“I discovered that she is cheating when her phone slipped out of her panties at night. I went through her messages and when I woke her up to ask about the messages we started fighting,” said Muvirimi.

According to Musoni, Muvirimi does not want to accept that she does not love him anymore and is forcing her to stay with him.

“I feel like he is standing in my way and I believe I can get a better man than him. I just want him out of my life and he just doesn’t understand that,” she said.

Musoni applied for a protection order against Muvirimi stating that she did not want to stay with him anymore or to see him anywhere near her house.

“Your worship, he only comes home to sleep and does not buy groceries and clothes for the kids. I want a new man and I feel like he’s standing in my way. He doesn’t want to leave and he is violent. I want him gone,” she said.

Bulawayo magistrate Sheunesu Matova granted the protection order and told Muvirimi to move on with his life to avoid conflict.

“I advise you two to just separate peacefully and move on with your lives because your relationship is no longer healthy,” said Matova. – State Media

Ray Nkosi | #ThisFlag Pastor Evan Mawarire who was last week arrested and charged with subverting a constitutionally-elected Government or alternatively inciting to commit public violence, will have his bail hearing tomorrow in the High Court.

Mawarire, who is jailed in the infamous Chikurubi Maximum Prison was last Friday, remanded in custody to February 17 after his application challenging his placement on remand was dismissed.

A married RE teacher has been jailed for rape amid claims the school where he worked mishandled previous complaints that he sexually assaulted women staff.

Owen Madivani raped another teacher at a hotel after she got drunk during a night out at an education conference.

Now it has emerged that before his arrest Zimbabwe-born Madivani was the subject of sexual complaints by three female staff at The Towers School and Sixth Form Centre in Ashford, Kent, where he worked.

The 46-year-old father of three stood trial at Blackfriars Crown Court last December and last month he was jailed for 34 months. He was also placed on the Sex Offenders’ Register indefinitely.

He was originally accused not only of the rape of a teacher but also the attempted rape and sexual assault of another woman.

Madivani travelled to the Russell Hotel in Bloomsbury, central London, in June 2015 to take part in the conference.

Around 50 teachers – including the two middle-aged women who cannot be named for legal reasons – attended the two-day event. Neither worked at The Towers School.

Madivani had attended the conference the previous year where he had met both women.

The rape happened after a group went out for a meal on the night of June 4. The victim became drunk after drinking for more than four hours.

The woman told police that she and Madivani returned to their hotel and the ‘next thing she remembered’ was her attacker being on top of her in her bedroom and they were having sex.

She told prosecutors she repeatedly told him ‘no’ and tried to push him off her but he carried on with the assault before he left her.

The woman passed out. When she woke at around 7am, she contacted a friend to say she had been raped. Shortly after, Madivani knocked on her door and asked her to let him in because he had lost his bank card.

During their conversation, he is alleged to have told her: ‘I’m sorry, I’m sorry – I can’t tell you not to tell people.’

The victim felt this implied he was asking her not to report the rape. Police also investigated separate allegations involving another woman at the conference who claimed he had attempted to rape her and sexually assaulted her in her room the day before, after they had enjoyed breakfast together.

Shyleen Mtandwa | Norbert Chikerema aged 42, who has been charged with the murder of his wife Gillian Zvomuya (Nyasha Kahari) will appear in the Birmingham Crown Court this morning.

Chikerema of Overdale Road, Quinton was first hauled before Birmingham Magistrates’s Court on Thursday morning charged with the murder of Zvomuya who post-mortem reports indicate died of head injuries.

The body of Nyasha Kahari, from Sheldon, was found in car outside Lidl in Kitts Green at around 4.45am on Monday.

Chikerema is scheduled to appear again at Birmingham Crown Court this morning.

Join ZimEye LIVE as we cover developments on this tragic death.

By Staff Reporter | Norton Member of Parliament, Temba Mliswa, has revived
Tsungirirai Ophanage centre which was on the verge of collapse.

The new MP, at the weekend visited the centre while touring the constituency and expressed shock over the neglect of the institution by the local community.

“The centre is in dire indeed and if we profess to be residents with a heart for making a difference, then Tsungirirayi should never be the same again,”said Mliswa during the tour.

Home to hundreds of disabled and orphaned children,the centre is failing to feed these disadvantaged children.

Mliswa said he was going to provide maize for the starving children before mobilising and proposing for a long term sustainable solution.

“Whilst in the interim I have pledged to donate maize and source other foodstuffs, it is important that we implement a lasting and sustainable long term solution which we can brainstorm. However in the short term, the need is critical.

“To this end, I propose that this weekend coming, Saturday 11th February 2017, we meet at the centre at a time to be confirmed and that all those with donations, to come with their valuable contributions and or pledges,”said Mliswa.

Ray Nkosi | Zimbabwe People First President, Joice Mujuru, has apologised to the people of Matabeleland over the Gukurahundi atrocities of the eighties and challenged for an open dialogue to establish who did what during the time of the atrocities.

Speaking to Bulawayo civic society groups and Mthwakazi proponent pressure groups on Friday , the former ZANU PF Vice President and cabinet minister said that she and many other people who were serving in government during the period of the atrocities knew nothing about what was happening in the Matabeleland regions where the atrocities were taking place.

At the time of the atrocities which were executed by a specially assembled wing of the army, her husband General Solomon Mujuru was the commander of the army to which Mujuru insists he was never involved in the activities of the wing which reported directly to President Robert Mugabe.

Responding to a question on her role and that of her husband in the atrocities, Mujuru insisted that they did not play any role in the killing of more than 20 000 people from Matabeleland and Midlands provinces claiming that the operations of the Gukurahundi army were a privy of Mugabe and a few people around him.

Mujuru got the confidence of the pressure groups when she told them that her party is prioritising a Truth an Reconciliation process which will seek to bring everyone suspected of any involvement in the atrocities to be openly probed and her and many others will be proven innocent.

She said that to show her party’s commitment to the process, the party has included a secretariat for National Healing and Reconciliation that will look into the modalities of pushing for the Truth and Reconciliation Commission as a matter of urgency.

The former right hand person to President Mugabe openly apologised to the people of Matabeleland for what she said was her being involved by association in the atrocities and many other ills effected by ZANU PF in the region and the country asking the people of Matabeleland to join hands in demanding for a truth and reconciliation commission process.

Ray Nkosi | Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko, who is also heading the government Organ on National Healing, says that the Gukurahundi matter is now a closed case and relatives of the deceased must come forward and get death certificates of their loved ones.

Speaking in Bulawayo over the weekend at a meeting of small scale farmers from the Matabeleland region, Mphoko said as the chairperson of the organ tasked by government to look into the matter, he is satisfied there is enough closure with President Robert Mugabe’s assurance that the atrocities were a moment of madness and will never happen again.

“President Mugabe made it clear that it was an act of madness and what else do we want? There is nothing more than that,” he said.

Mphoko said instead of people remaining stuck on the matter relatives of the victims should approach government and get death certificates of their relatives who were killed during the atrocities. He added that government is in the process of facilitating descent burials of all the people killed during the atrocities.

“The Government has introduced a national programme of reburying people who were killed during the liberation war that is being carried out throughout the country. In this part of the country (Matabeleland) that has to be done so that people who were affected by Gukurahundi are given a decent burial and that is very critical as it will help cool down tempers and emotions,” he said.

“We are the leaders of this country and it is our responsibility to address those matters. What we have to do is to issue birth and death certificates to those who were affected by Gukurahundi and rebury their loved ones properly,” he said.

Mphoko ruled out calls for a Truth and Reconciliation Commission which opposition parties and other civic organisations are lobbying for claiming that the process is not necessary as it will only serve to embarrass a few people. Mphoko said the Government was committed to exploring a non-confrontational way of dealing with the matter.

“In fact, there is a lot that is being said about Gukurahundi including how my predecessors the late Vice-Presidents Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo, Joseph Msika and John Landa Nkomo handled the matter. However, the problem is that there are some people who want the issue to be handled in a certain manner that seeks to humiliate targeted people, but our approach is that we must find a solution that will help the victims and produce best results and as the Minister responsible for that, I am exploring a way which is not confrontational,” he said.

Terrence Mawawa, Mwenezi A sex starved local woman brewed a shocker when she dumped her husband and eloped with a 60-year-old neighbour who later impregnated her. The woman, Nyaradzo Nherera dumped her husband, Nyasha Chirashiwa and fell in love with Jeffius Tasarira(60) who eventually impregnated her. Tasarira is a member of the Marange Apostolic Church.

The matter was heard before Chief Neshuro’s traditional court and Tasarira was asked to pay a token of regret for impregnating Nyasha’s wife. “The matter was heard before Chief Neshuro’s traditional court. Tasarira was ordered to pay $100,”said a local villager.

Nherera took advantage of Nyasha’s absence and fell in love with Tasarira and she eventually dumped her husband. It has also emerged Nyasha refused the money paid by Tasarira and returned to South Africa.

“Nyasha refused the money paid by Tasarira. The situation is very complicated,”said one of Nyasha’s relatives. Nherera’s relatives however, accused Nyasha of deserting his wife. “We have to look at the matter from both angles. Nyasha went to South Africa and never came back.His wife waited for a long time but Nyasha was nowhere to be seen.Therefore we cannot blame Nyaradzai(Nherera).We urged her to be patient and she tried by all means to wait for her husband.She also attempted to call her husband but he never responded positively,”said Nherera’s sister identified as Mary.

A MAN from Zvishavane who severely assaulted a Central Intelligence Officer (CIO) operative and stole his service pistol has been sentenced to 28 months in prison.

Noel Kurura (29) from Village Tangwe under Chief Masunda, Zvishavane, pleaded not guilty to charges of robbery and possessing a firearm without a licence when he appeared before Zvishavane Magistrate Mr Shepherd Mjanja.

The Magistrate sentenced him to 24 months imprisonment for robbery and suspended four months on condition of good behaviour.

Mr Mjanja fined Kurura $200 for possessing a firearm without a licence and if he fails to pay the fine, he will be jailed for four months.

Prosecuting, Mr Amos Ncube said on November 8 at around 2PM, Mr Kudakwashe Mazura offered Kurura and Tapiwa Gundu a lift at Unki Mine Turn-off along the Zvishavane-Gweru Road.

Gundu, Kurura’s alleged accomplice, is still on the run.

“When the accused person and his accomplice were about to drop off at the 72km peg, they suddenly became violent and started assaulting the complainant with fists.

“They disarmed him, took away his CZ pistol and disappeared. The complainant went and reported the matter at Zvishavane Police Station,” said Mr Ncube.

Investigations led to Kurura’s arrest.

Police recovered the pistol from Kurura’s bedroom hut in Zvishavane. The value of the stolen firearm was $1 000. – State Media

A 40-YEAR-OLD man from Plumtree has been convicted of physical abuse after he tied his five-year-old stepson to a tree and severely assaulted him.

Bulawayo Regional Magistrate Mr Joseph Mabeza said the five-year-old had given the court a vivid account of the ruthless assault that he suffered at the man’s hands.

The magistrate, however, acquitted him of rape charges as he had also been accused of raping his one-year-old daughter.

The man’s wife told the court that he threatened to chop her with an axe and due to the abuse, she decided not to go back home.

Left in the custody of three children, one of whom was his one-year-old daughter, the magistrate heard that the man, who cannot be named to protect the identity of his victims, would bath the girl and share his bed with her. He allegedly raped her.

The alleged abuse was discovered after his five-year-old stepson fled from home after he tied him to a tree and severely assaulted him.

Medical reports produced in court showed that the one-year-old girl had been repeatedly raped 72 hours before the medical examination and that the five-year-old had been severely assaulted.

Magistrate Mabeza acquitted him on the rape charge but convicted him of physical abuse.

“There was an exchange of custody of the child within the 72 hours preceding to medical examination. Accused person was arrested on October 17 and spent the night in police custody. The child was left with her siblings and the social welfare. There is no direct evidence linking him to the rape charge.

More investigations need to be done to ascertain who raped the minor,” said Mr Mabeza.

“However his stepson gave a vivid account of the ruthless assault that he suffered at his hands. He explained to the court how he was hanged from a tree and bashed. His account was supported by a medical report that showed he sustained injuries on his neck from hanging. He also sustained bruises all over his body where accused person hit him. This evidence can’t be ignored.”

The man apologised to the court and asked to be set free.

He is expected to be sentenced today on the physical abuse charge.

“I erred Your Worship. May this court forgive me. I was only trying to discipline the boy. May you set me free, I won’t repeat the same mistake,” he pleaded. – State Media

A MAN from Bulawayo allegedly shot his friend dead, buried him in a shallow grave in Hillside suburb and sent a message to the deceased’s mother pretending to be her son suddenly leaving the country, police confirmed yesterday.

Rodney Tongai Jindu (25) of Glengarry suburb allegedly killed Cyprian Kudzurunga (28) of Queens Park East on January 29 before burying the body in a vacant residential stand in Hillside.

He also allegedly stole his friend’s laptop and cellphone which he sold in the city centre.

Jindu was arrested on Friday after inconsistent statements to the police. He allegedly later confessed to killing his friend and led police to the shallow grave.

National police spokesperson Chief Superintendent Paul Nyathi confirmed the incident.

“Police has arrested a 25-year-old man in connection with the death of Cyprian Kudzurunga aged 28 years who was allegedly shot in circumstances which are under investigations.

“The body was privately and secretly buried at a site where it was later exhumed after police had received information and conducted comprehensive investigations,” he said.

The Chronicle understands that the two were childhood friends and churchmates at the Queens Park Roman Catholic parish.

On the day of the murder, they had spent close to seven hours drinking alcohol at Jindu’s house with the binge stretching from around 3PM to 10PM after which Kadzurunga decided to walk home.

A police source said on the fateful day, Kudzurunga passed by home from church at around 3PM and informed his mother that he was going for drinks with Jindu who was waiting for him outside.

“He took his laptop with him as Jindu said he would want to use it. On their way to Jindu’s place, the two bought a bottle of brandy which they drank,” the source said.

The source said they drank until around 10PM and Kudzurunga then decided to walk home using a footpath linking Glengarry and Queens Park East.
Jindu offered to escort him.

“After walking for a while, Jindu — who was walking behind Kudzurunga — fired one shot from behind and shot him on the head and he fell down. He fired another shot, this time hitting him in the chest resulting in his death.

“After realising that he had killed his friend, he rushed back home and hid the pistol and the now deceased’s laptop in his workshop. He took a plastic bag, cellotape and a wheelbarrow, and returned to the where the body lay. He shoved the body into the plastic bag, loaded it onto the wheelbarrow and pushed it back home,” said the source.

Once at home, Jindu placed the body into the boot of his car and took the deceased’s LG cellphone from his trousers’ pocket.

He allegedly left the body in the car boot overnight.

The following morning, he went to the city centre and met a friend whom he gave Kudzurunga’s cellphone and laptop to sell on his behalf.

“He removed the sim card from the handset before giving it away for sale. The laptop was quickly bought for $140 and the seller was paid off and the two separated. He hired a taxi back home and bought five litres of petrol along the way for his car.

“He also hired two men to dig the grave and paid them $10 each. Later that afternoon, he buried the body and filled the grave halfway with stones and soil,” said the source.

Through investigations, it was discovered that at around 8PM on January 29, Jindu inserted Kudzurunga’s sim card into his cellphone and sent an SMS to the now deceased’s mother pretending to be Kudzurunga.

In the message, he said he was going out of the country.

“The message read that he had fled because he had done something bad and would communicate with her later.

“On January 31 early morning, Jindu hired another friend to finish filling up the grave with soil after lying to him that he had tried to dig a place to mount a water meter but had since decided to change the place. He then later scattered some litter on top for disguise,” said the source.

Kudzurunga’s laptop and cellphone were recovered after Jindu’s arrest.

His body was exhumed on Saturday after Jindu confessed to killing his friend.

The firearm used to commit the crime was recovered and it was allegedly registered in Jindu’s name.

The firearm was allegedly issued for crop and livestock protection.

When The Chronicle visited the deceased’s home in Queens Park East yesterday, Kudzurunga’s mother, Ms Patricia Danha, was said to be on her way from Harare where she had gone to search for her missing son.

A family friend, Mrs Sophia Mafiwa, said Ms Danha phoned her son on January 29 at around 8PM and that was the last time she had spoken to him.

“He said they were driving around with his friend Jindu. When she tried his phone again around 10PM, it was no longer reachable. She decided to phone the friend who said he had last seen him at around 4PM.

“Mrs Danha then made a missing person report with the police,” she said. – State Media

MASHONALAND West provincial war veterans leader, Sam Parirenyatwa, faces a contempt of court charge after he allegedly defied Chief Negomo and a Bindura Magistrates’ Court order to compensate a farmer for crops destroyed by his livestock.

According to documents shown to journalists, sometime in 2015, Parirenyatwa’s livestock strayed into Mazowe farmer, Juliet Nyadongo’s maize field and destroyed the entire crop. Nyadongo reported the matter to Chief Negomo’s court, which then issued a default judgment and ordered Parirenyatwa to pay $900 as compensation, or alternatively have his two beasts attached.

The traditional leader’s messengers later seized two beasts from Parirenyatwa’s farm and gave them to Nyadongo.

Angered by the traditional leader’s verdict, Parirenyatwa filed for stay of execution of the order at the Bindura Magistrates Court, but the application was dismissed by magistrate Elisha Singano on March 8 2015.

Part of the ruling read: “For avoidance of doubt , chief’s judgment of $900 shall stand against the appellant and any execution done by respondent should be respected. Appellant must return the beast to the respondent’s failure, which he should be charged for contempt of court, his current appeal is dismissed with costs,” Singano said in his ruling.

This, however, did not go down well with Parirenyatwa, who last month allegedly stormed Nyadongo’s farm and took back his cattle, at the same time lodging an appeal at the High Court.

This prompted Nyadongo, through her lawyer, Phineas Ngarava, to file a contempt of court charge against Parirenyatwa. The matter was reported under case number RRB 28948210 and is yet to be brought to court. – Newsday

John Smyth’s pastor has advised him to fly to the UK to face the consequences for allegedly beating 22 teenagers at Christian holiday camps.

And the lawyer’s pastor son‚ PJ Smyth‚ said: “These are horrific allegations‚ and if proven true it is right that my father face justice.”

In a statement on Sunday to the Cape Town congregation Smyth has been part of for two years‚ church elders said the former Justice Alliance of South Africa leader should also “admit‚ if necessary‚ to any accusation that holds substance and apologise‚ asking for forgiveness and mercy”.

The Wynberg church has asked Smyth‚ 75‚ and his wife‚ Anne‚ to stay away from its services and meetings until the allegations of “terrible misconduct” against the former part-time judge are resolved.

A TV documentary last week reported that Smyth left the UK for Zimbabwe in 1984 after a hushed-up report by a church charity said he administered savage beatings on boys who attended camps at Winchester College‚ Hampshire.

He arrived in South Africa in 2001 after the dropping of a culpable homicide charge linked to the drowning of a 16-year-old at a Zambesi Holidays camp for Christian teenagers.

Church-on-Main pastor Andrew Thomson told worshippers on Sunday that a “fair number of people … have had moments of counselling and group discipleship with John”.

Elders were available “should anyone feel the need to discuss the nature of‚ or content of‚ their experience. Similarly‚ if you think there is someone you would like to prompt us to follow up with‚ please do so.”

He added: “If our having had John as a leader of a discipleship group or his role in any form of ministry has led to hurt or risk to anyone‚ or to bringing the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ into disrepute in any way‚ for this we apologise”.

The church’s three Cape Town congregations have been invited to a members-only meeting on Wednesday to discuss the Smyths. Elders have offered counselling to the couple‚ who have left their Bergvliet home and failed to respond to numerous requests for comment.

PJ Smyth‚ in a letter to the congregation of Covenant Life Church in Maryland‚ US‚ said his father “disciplined me in a manner consistent with the laws and cultural trends of the UK at the time‚ not in a manner alleged in the recent reports”.

“During the time we lived in the UK‚ I was in boarding school from the age of 8 to 13. When I was home I never saw or heard anything that led me to suspect my father was engaged in the activities alleged‚” said PJ‚ who has just left Johannesburg after 10 years at the helm of several GodFirst churches.

“We moved to Zimbabwe when I was 13. My father told me that he felt called out of the legal profession into full-time Christian work. I attended a number of Zambesi Holidays camps and I was never aware of any abuse.

“During the early 1990s‚ when I was studying in South Africa‚ I was aware that a delegation of pastors and parents insisted that my father and the board of Zambesi Holidays make adjustments to camp life‚ which they did. I do clearly remember the tragic drowning of a fellow camper one year. It was devastating to his family and to all of us who knew him.

“In my twenties‚ I gradually became aware that there had been issues surrounding my father’s ministry in the UK. Nothing specific‚ but I remember hearing some of my parents’ friends say things like‚ ‘… of course those were difficult years for your dad’. However‚ I assumed that it was something relatively minor and it never occurred to me to press my father for detail.

“I believe that the civil authorities are given by God to help protect against wrong-doing. I am firmly committed to reporting any form of child abuse to the authorities.”

TMG Digital/TimesLIVE

Ray Nkosi |MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai was ZANU PF’s district political commissar during the Gukurahundi massacre, shock details reveal.

The MDC leader has admitted being Robert Mugabe’s top aide in the Mash Central province during the time 22,000 Ndebeles were being killed.

Tsvangirai first made the admissions during his 2004 treason trial in which he swore he would never seek to end Mugabe’s life.

“I regarded Mr Mugabe as my hero and the hero of the liberation struggle,” Tsvangirai said in response to a question by his lead defence counsel, renowned South African human rights lawyer Mr George Bizos. CLICK HERE TO READ THE ORIGINAL ARTICLE.

Asked if he ever plotted to kill Mr Mugabe or overthrow his government, the 51-year-old former trade unionist replied: “No, my Lord.” Mr Tsvangirai – who said he was a district political commissar in the ruling ZANU-PF party in the 1980s – told how he fell out with Mr Mugabe over policies restricting trade union activities and the government’s handling of the economy.

Parliament has recommended to the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development that all cars must be inspected yearly at a cost of $50 per unit, as part of the commercialisation of the Vehicle Inspectorate Department meant to raise $126 million annually.

At the moment, inspection for fitness is limited to public service vehicles at a cost of $25 and $20 for heavy and light vehicles respectively, in line with Statutory Instrument 134 of 1998. Private cars are only inspected at VID when they are involved in accidents or when there is suspicion that they have defects.

Although such executive decisions are normally taken by the responsible ministry, parliament through its Portfolio Committee on Transport and Infrastructural Development has recommended the idea. The parliament used its oversight function, which according to the Standing Order of Parliament Category (c) states that the committee shall; “monitor, investigate, inquire into and make recommendations relating to any aspect of the legislative programme, budget, policy or any other matter it may consider relevant to the Government department falling within the category of affairs assigned to it, and may for that purpose consult and liaise with such department.”

In an interview, the chairman of the committee, Cde Dexter Nduna (Zanu-PF, Chegutu West) said this was a gap where Government can raise money.

“As a committee we are proposing that VID must inspect all motor vehicles in Zimbabwe, be they black on yellow plates or red on white plates which are private and public service vehicles. There are approximately 1,5 million vehicles that are on our roads and they have not been inspected, in fact a good number of them have not been inspected with a view of reducing road carnage,” he said.

Cde Nduna said Statutory Instrument 34 of 1998 allows the Minister of Transport and Infrastructural Development to inspect public service vehicles while another statutory instrument can be put in place that there be a provision to inspect all vehicles to see their road worthiness. He said hence VID could charge as much as $50 for vehicle inspection on all cars.

“If the VID is commercialised, there is going to be $50 levied for all annual inspections for private vehicles, and with the vehicle population in Zimbabwe VID can easily raise revenue to the tune $126 million. It can use $40 million for recapitalisation and declare $60 million to the Government,” he said.

Cde Nduna said the money will add onto the $5 million the department was raising through Learners’ Licence Tests, $6 million from Drivers’ Licence Tests and $25 million from public service vehicle inspections. The move will raise the revenue by 600 percent to $126 million.

However, in an interview, Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister Dr Joram Gumbo said the idea was noble although his Ministry was still to deliberate on the issue.

“I have not received any communication yet but maybe the move is a noble one if done correctly and through the right channels. It should come to Government formerly and be discussed,” he said.

The committee also suggested that there should be computerisation and integration of the transport management systems linking driving schools, VID, Zinara, Zimra, Central Vehicle Registry, Traffic Safety Council of Zimbabwe and Zimbabwe Republic Police.

“In Government we have moved to have an electronic system whereby VID, Zinara, CVR and Zimra will come as one and officials can be able to check the status of a vehicle at one go, one can check if a vehicle is registered, free of debts with Zinara and even the police can see if there are any offences,” said Cde Gumbo.

Merging of Zinara and VID will see the two organisations leveraging on synergies with quick wins in activities such as enforcement of laws regarding overloading, unlicensed vehicles and drivers, fuel levy, unroadworthy vehicles and garage inspections, to name a few.

Nonetheless, if the proposals see the light of the day, there will be an increase in the number of fees motorists have to pay. At present motorists pay Zinara Vehicle Licensing fees of between $20 and $300 per quarter depending on the weight of the vehicle. To pay for the licensing fees, motorists also need to pay insurance with the cheapest pegged at $36 per quarter. In adddition, they pay the same parastatal between $2 and $10 for tollgates when using the country’s major highways depending on the weight of the vehicle. Motorists also pay a minimum of three cents per litre of fuel they buy levied as Carbon Tax.

Those with car radios are supposed to pay an additional minimum of $10 for radio licence to ZBC per quarter.

Motorists are also mandated to buy triangles, reflectors and fire extinguishers.

There are also plans to introduce tollgates in urban areas to raise money for road repairs and construction. – State Media

I was born in Chitendero Village, Kutama on May 8, 1924. This is the place where Robert Mugabe was also born.

I am related to him in that his father, Gabriel, was my cousin and referred to me as mukoma while I called Robert my son.

A sense of pride wells up in me each time I consider that I am one of President Mugabe’s remaining peers. You can search through Kutama in its entirety, but will not find another 93-year-old like me.

To the best of my knowledge, President Mugabe and I are the only nonagenarians left out of the lot born here.

I am told that I did not cry when I was born, and the resident Catholic priest baptised me on that day fearing that this was an indication that I would not live long.

But here I am — 93 and still going strong!

I grew up at Kutama Mission. In the early days, we were not allowed to interact with non-Catholics as the priest at that time, Father Loubiere, was intolerant and did not have cordial relations with the community.

He would not even allow us to interact with my grandparents because they were not Christians.

Robert’s father, Gabriel, worked at the mission as a carpenter alongside my uncle, Mr Paul Gono, and this drew Robert and I closer in those early days.

We spent a lot of time together, eventually becoming best friends; more like twins. We often ate from the same plate.

Robert was very intelligent, so was his brother Michael.

Father Jerome O’hea, Father Loubiere’s successor at the mission, greatly influenced our upbringing, making sure we followed Catholic traditions and never missed church services.

He was a man of many talents: a doctor, builder and an engineer.

He managed to spread the faith, and worked well with people of different faiths as well as other Christian churches like the Methodist.

We learnt a lot from this priest whom the people loved and was far much better than his predecessor. Father O’hea was a role model whom we adored as children. He was a larger than life figure and influenced Robert Mugabe in a very big way.

The way President Mugabe conducts himself shows that he has stuck to principles we took from Father O’hea who always emphasised doing what is right.

Robert and I also shared lighter moments with Father O’hea. I remember how we would sometimes hide from him or roll over weaved mats to dodge chores.

Never quite a drinker

Following Catholic indoctrination, many people felt encouraged to move from Kutama Mission to other areas to spread the Gospel. Gabriel moved to the Karigamombe area, while Robert remained behind in Kutama with his grandparents, Sekuru and Ambuya Shonhiwa.

Sekuru Shonhiwa was known as “Chigubhu” because of his love for traditional brew.

He had an adept way of imbibing the brew, enabling him to keep it for longer while the containers of his drinking partners’ had long run dry.

Despite this exposure, Robert never took to the bottle, but, instead, took many positives from his grandparents. He was, in a way, his grandparents’ keeper, and had many responsibilities at that young age.

The two of us were separated when he started school.

I was only able to start school when I was 15-years-old, leaving Kutama for Chishawasha. At the time, Robert was in Standard 5.

We used to interact often whenever I went back to Kutama during school holidays. He never forgot our special relationship and bought me a suit when he started working.

This was one of the special gifts I held dear because it was a sign of his great affection for me.

Our lives later took different turns when he joined politics while I joined the Rhodesia Civil Service as an extension officer.

I worked in Mutoko and Murewa for many years, and thus could not see him. All I could do was support what he was doing to liberate the country.

I was not surprised that he became a nationalist leader because he had shown signs of greatness during our formative years. He was disciplined, despite being exposed to alcohol.

He sticks to principle, having blended his grandparents’ and Father O’hea’s teachings.

Father O’hea taught us to love one another. One sees that in the President because he loves his family greatly.

Many people wonder how he has managed to live this long; I believe everyone is responsible for their decisions in life. He has never imbibed alcohol, even during our youth when our peers were drinking themselves senseless.

If he had, or had not followed the right path, he would not have achieved what he has. Above all, it is God who has given Robert and I long life.

As his “twin’’, I understand President Mugabe and his vision for Zimbabwe. He saw and experienced colonial brutality and does not want it repeated. He has carried self-discipline, wisdom and principle since our days together at Kutama.

It was when he fell in love with his books and kept on the right path that his greatness began.

Cde Johannes Chikanya shared these views with The Sunday Mail’s Chief Reporter Kuda Bwititi in Zvimba on January 30, 2017. – State Media