A Gwanda based political activist Shyton Elliott who was reported abducted last week by suspected state agents has been found alive but “very sick”, human rights lawyers have said.
Matebeleland South Human Rights chairperson, Bekezela Maduma Fuzwayo said Elliott (46) was found on Monday and is “at a place of safety” within the country.
“We have been following the case and have managed to locate him as of today (Monday) and he is at a place of safety within the country. His case has been presented to the lawyers for human rights and they are handling the case,” Fuzwayo said.
“He is alive but not very well. We are in the process of getting him a medical assessment because according to him, he was made to drink some chemicals and has been having a running tummy for the past four days.
“He looks dehydrated, very weak and in a state of very serious shock. He doesn’t want people around him and lawyers for human rights are facilitating an immediate counselling,” he added.
Fuzwayo said Elliott believed that he was abducted by the members of CIO because they took him to the offices of the CIO Gwanda district where they tortured and interrogated him.
“He has shown us his physical scars, signs of swollen hands, signs of being handcuffed. At the time of disappearing, he was wearing a very long dreadlock and he said it was violently cut-off. According to him, they used a knife to cut it off and is not aware where the dreadlock is,” Fuzwayo added.
Fuzwayo said according to Elliott, he was picked up by a group of 12 people in broad daylight at a shopping centre in Gwanda. Contrary to media reports, he said he was not detained overnight or any number of days.
“They picked him up around 1pm in the afternoon and dumped him in the boot of a car somewhere in the Central Business District of Gwanda around 6pm from where he found his way to rural areas; where out of trauma perhaps has been hiding for the last four or five days when everybody was looking for him. He made his way to Bulawayo over the weekend where he presented himself for safe keeping through human rights organisations,” he narrated.
Fuzwayo said Elliott did not belong to any political party and was just a critic of President Robert Mugabe.
“He can’t tell what the motive behind abduction was. It can be political because he said during the torture he was told to stop opposing the ruling party.”
Fuzwayo said more details would be released after the report has been made to the police as for now it was not safe.
The abduction follows another one of a political activist Itai Dzamara who was abducted in Harare in a similar manner and has not been seen almost a year on.-RadioVOP

A FORMER policeman who was dismissed from the police force for allegedly accepting a bribe has successfully challenged his conviction and sentence at the Bulawayo High Court.
Edmore Nyarugwe, 30, was stationed at Fairbridge Camp near Bulawayo when he was fired in 2014. He was charged with criminal abuse of duty as a public officer for allegedly accepting a $300 bribe from two brothers Ronald and Tariro Chasaya and their friend John Mundozo.
Nyarugwe then allegedly attempted to bribe a Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) officer to allow the trio’s truck full of goods to enter the country without being searched at Victoria Falls border post.
The ex-cop, who is now employed as a security guard in Masvingo, was fined $400 by then Victoria Falls magistrate Sharon Rosemani. Three months were wholly suspended for three years on condition of good behaviour.
Nyarugwe appealed to the High Court in Bulawayo against both conviction and sentence. Appeals court judges, Justices Francis Bere and Maxwell Takuva set aside both the conviction and sentence last Tuesday.
“Whereupon after reading the documents filed of record and hearing appellant respondent it is ordered that the conviction and sentence be and is hereby set aside,” reads the ruling.
Nyarugwe appeared in person while Whisper Mabhaudi represented the State. Initially, the appeals judges turned down his appeal because he was a self-actor but he convinced the court that there were merits to his case hence the need for condonation.
“I plead for condonation as a self-actor. I had two witnesses who were declared hostile by the State and the case has tarnished my name as I’ve also lost my job and all benefits. If the court doesn’t hear me I may not be able to exonerate myself in society as I would carry the burden of a crime I didn’t commit,” said Nyarugwe in court before the appeals bench allowed the case to be heard.
He argued that the lower court erred by overlooking evidence presented by two witnesses Ronald and Gamuchirai Chirikure, who denied that the cop received a bribe. Chirikure is a cop and was on duty with Nyarugwe when the alleged crime was allegedly committed.
Nyarugwe who was then represented by Givemore Muvhiringi had pleaded not guilty to the charges. The State case was that on July 28, 2014, Nyarugwe was deployed to Victoria Falls border post where he allegedly received $300 bribe from the Chasaya brothers and Mundozo.-State Media

Former Education Minister and Mashonaland East Governor,  Aeneas Chigwedere on Monday  appeared at the Marondera civil court in a case in which his son, Magwiza, is accusing him of practicing witchcraft.
Chigwedere made an initial appearance before magistrate Shayne Kubonera, and his matter was moved to Friday this week.
The matter had been filed at the Harare civil court but was rejected on the grounds that the courts had no jurisdiction over the matter as both parties reside in Marondera.
The historian  is being sued together with his wife, Emilia, who is Magwiza’s step mother.
In his court papers Magwiza wants ZINATHA, cited as third respondents, to deal with the goblins he alleges are kept by his father to torment other family members.
In his initial opposing affidavit, Chigwedere through his lawyer, Tendai Masawi denied the allegations, describing his son as a mental patient who needs psychiatric treatment.
He added that the charges are frivolous and a waste of time.
The Chigwederes left the court separately with the father leaving in his car while Magwiza left on foot in the company of other relatives.

Prosecutor-General Johannes Tomana has reached a dead end with a magistrate ruling that he should be put to his defense.
The PG should remain on remand because there is reasonable suspicion that he committed an offence, Harare provincial magistrate Mr Vakayi Chikwekwe said yesterday.
Tomana is facing charges of criminal abuse of office, or alternatively defeating the course of justice after he authorised the release of two suspects linked to an alleged attempt to petrol-bomb the First Family’s Alpha Omega Dairy.
Mr Chikwekwe said the law only provided for Presidential immunity.
“The person who enjoys immunity from arrest or prosecution is specifically stated in Section 96 of the Constitution.
“The section provides for Presidential immunity while in office and no other person.
“Accused does not enjoy immunity from prosecution or arrest as contemplated in Section 174 (1). If the legislature intended to exclude the accused or his office, they should have mentioned it. The Constitution is binding on every person,” he said.
Mr Chikwekwe said Section 260 of the Constitution, which Tomana was using to buttress his independence, should not be read in isolation but together with Section 261 to make it complete.
Tomana, in his application challenging his placement on remand, argued that the police had no powers to arrest him, adding that his arrest was a violation of constitutional provisions guaranteeing his independence and protection from intimidation in the exercise and discharge of his functions.
However, Mr Chikwekwe said the police acted within the confines of the constitutional mandate.
“As far as the police are concerned, there is a reasonable suspicion that the accused committed an offence.
“As long as there is reasonable suspicion, the police can arrest any person.
“At this stage I am convinced that the police acted within the confines of the constitutional mandate. To dismiss the police’s allegations at this stage might not be in the interest of justice. I am convinced the arrest was within the confines of the law,” he said.
Tomana, through his lawyers Advocate Thabani Mpofu instructed by Mr Tazorora Musarurwa and Mr Alex Mambosasa, also argued that prosecutor Mr Gwinyai Shumba and Mr Timothy Makoni had no right and powers to prosecute him since they were his juniors who acted on his instructions.
In response, Mr Chikwekwe said it was not proper for Tomana to argue that he did not authorise the prosecution.
“These two (Shumba and Makoni) derive their authority from the certificates they have which are still valid. The prosecuting certificates they have are not withdrawn hence accused cannot revoke them while in the dock by word of mouth.
“They are properly before this court and can prosecute anyone accused of committing an offence, including the accused person,” Mr Chikwekwe said.
On the sufficiency of the allegations, Mr Chikwekwe said allegations against Tomana were not defective. He said they were sufficient enough to constitute an offence.
He added that there is a nexus linking Tomana to the alleged illegal conduct.
“It is that conduct which forms the basis of the allegations against the accused,” he said.
Mr Chikwekwe said the State must be given a chance to prove its case and accused also must be given time as well to defend himself so that the court would decide after hearing arguments.
“I am of the opinion that the accused should remain on remand. There is reasonable suspicion that he committed the offence,” he said.
The matter was remanded to March 7 and Tomana notified the court of his intentions to make an application for refusal of further remand if the State fails to furnish him with a trial date on that day.
It is the State’s case that Tomana withdrew charges against Silas Pfupa and Solomon Makumbe before plea and turned them into State witnesses.State Media

President Robert Mugabe yesterday celebrated his 92nd birthday in style after staff in his office threw him a surprise party at State House. Mugabe turned 92 on Sunday.
Although the main festivities, which coincide with the 21st February Movement celebrations are slated for Masvingo this Saturday, staff in the Office of the President and Cabinet held a function for the President.
After he was presented with the birthday cake, the President left everyone in stitches when he said the party was no longer a surprise as it happened every year.
“The Chief Secretary (Dr Misheck Sibanda) said they did this as a surprise event. But I’m no longer surprised because every year, I now know that once I strike another birthday, this event is bound to follow,” he said.
In a speech, to mark his 92nd birthday celebrations, he thanked staff in his office and Zimbabweans at large for the overwhelming support he received during his tenure both as Sadc and African Union chairman.
“But we are not only celebrating that we have managed to get to this year 2016 where we are celebrating the 92nd birthday of the President. We have also raised our status, our independence became a tool and the means with which we have interacted with others,” said President Mugabe.
“And through you and your support, I have managed to lead not just Sadc but the whole of Africa and I did it not as an individual but knew that it was Zimbabwe that was behind me.
“I think with that support, I got the groundwork having been done in Sadc, left a good name, a good name at all costs bequeathed to them.
“Some of our socio-economic principles, how in Sadc we could develop through interaction, through trade, through industrialisation, through free movement of our affairs, of our people, of our industry and in Africa the same.”
At the recent African Union summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia where he handed over the continental body’s chairmanship to Chadian President Idriss Déby Itno, he reminded world leaders that Africa one day might decide to pull out of the United Nations if they continued to treat Africans as under-dogs.
He said people of colour should be treated the same as their white counterparts.
President Mugabe continued saying he had a harmonious working relationship with staff in his office.
“Chief Secretary (Dr Misheck Sibanda) takes orders that go afar, reaching the various departments and the orders being reciprocated with action. Then, you know we are together. Yes, of course, we are together,” he said.
“We are together because we have performed together.
“I have only been a leader but those who have taken the orders, who have carried out the orders are yourselves and those who are not here, the very many others.”
President Mugabe took time explaining how the colonial settlers disposed Zimbabwe’s founding fathers of their land and natural resources.
He said he also grew up under colonial rule until such a time that he, together with other freedom fighters, took up arms against the oppressers.
“Well, 92 years is a long time on this world. You know, you have seen many things happening, domestically and experience of the vicissitudes of the international world,” said President Mugabe.
“But I must say that in regards to ourselves, taking the context in which we were and the turmoil of that context when our elders suffered so much, they had to bear their own struggle, Chimurenga chavo, and they were defeated.
“They lost their land, their natural resources; they lost their manhood, womanhood, hunhu hwavo and they were subjects – subjects of a foreign element that had colonised them. And the vision of tomorrow was blocked.
“We grew in it. We became also elders and felt the torment in that environment and that’s why we decided that enough was enough. Our fathers suffered so much torment, so much suffering, so much subjugation – we must get out of it. Yes, we could say tingateterere kumidzimu yedu, asi takaona kuti kwete, zvekuteterera midzimu, kana kunamata’ko hakubatsire.
“So even if to Him whom we pray, He were to answer back. Save us oh, Lord! I’m sure he would say fools, you humans. Haven’t I given you the weapons with which to save yourself? Haven’t you got a head? Haven’t you got wisdom? Are you not enlightened? Don’t you know what to do? Your hands are not just hands, are not just to feed you. Get them to work.
“Mbuya (Nehanda) pavakati achamuka mapfupa, vaiti we have to fight for it. Achamuka, achakumutsai imimi kuti murere, vuka! Ukamukaka, ukati, aizve takazvarwawo sevamwe. (I) am sure we fought and sure we won. So there we are celebrating.”
The birthday party celebration was attended by Ministers Kembo Mohadi (State Security), Simon Khaya Moyo (Policy Co-ordination), Josiah Hungwe (Psychomotor), Miriam Chikukwa (Minister of State Harare province) service chiefs, and several senior Government officials.
The Office of the President and Cabinet, presented mealie meal, sugar and cooking oil for the President to donate to a charity organisation of his choice.-State Media

Thabo Mbeki , the former president of South Africa in his latest letters has pointed out that US and UK, wanted so much to remove President Robert Mugabe. He has said to save Mugabe, South Africa had to send government minister Lindiwe Sisulu to tell them to back off.
There were others in the world, led particularly by the UK, who opposed our approach of encouraging the Zimbabweans to decide their future. These preferred regime change – the forcible removal of President Mugabe and his replacement by people approved by the UK and its allies,” wrote Mbeki.
“In the period preceding the 2002 Zimbabwe Elections, the UK and the US in particular were very keen to effect this regime change and failing which to impose various conditions to shorten the period of any Mugabe Presidency.
“Our then Minister of Intelligence, Lindiwe Sisulu, had to make a number of trips to London and Washington to engage the UK and US governments on their plans for Zimbabwe, with strict instructions from our government to resist all plans to impose anything on the people of Zimbabwe, including by military means.”

Mbeki said the plans to overthrow Mugabe were not hearsay, but came “directly from what they communicated to a representative of our government”.
The startling revelations go on to say that on November 11, 2007, the UK’s Independent on Sunday reported that during its interview of Lord Guthrie, former Chief of Defence Staff of the UK armed forces, it learnt that “astonishingly, the subjects discussed [with Prime Minister Tony Blair] included invading Zimbabwe”. Guthrie had reportedly warned against it.
According to John Kampfner in his book Blair’s Wars, the former British prime minister once told Claire Short that “if it were down to me, I’d do Zimbabwe as well – that is send troops”.
Mbeki said that over the years Zapu, Zanu and, later, Zanu-PF saw it as part of their responsibility to contribute to the victory of South Africa’s struggle against apartheid and to rebuild the country. The ANC felt the same about removing colonialism in Zimbabwe and helping reconstruct that country.
“Throughout these years we defended the right of the people of Zimbabwe to determine their destiny, including deciding on who should govern the country. This included resisting all efforts to impose other people’s solutions on Zimbabwe, which, if this had succeeded, would have served as a precursor for a similar intervention in our country!”
Mbeki concluded by saying there was a conscious decision taken to avoid South Africa acting as the “new home-grown African imperial power”
When he was president, Mbeki rarely took the nation or the media into his confidence on some of the details in his letters. He was regularly heavily criticised over South Africa’s siding with Mugabe, whose land reforms were considered repugnant by many. Mbeki was also criticised for appearing to turn a blind eye to allegations of voting irregularities. –  State Media

Zanu PF foes of embattled Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa claim that history is repeating itself, with the Midlands godfather allegedly moving “to save his bacon” by dumping under-fire War Veterans minister Christopher Mutsvangwa.
Party insiders opposed to Mnangagwa succeeding President Robert Mugabe told the Daily News yesterday that they “always knew” that when it came to the crunch, the beleaguered VP would not protect his allies who are on the receiving end of a savage and unrelenting factional mauling in the former liberation movement.
“It’s typical Ngwena (Mnangagwa). When the heat is on, he will do anything to save his own bacon. He has already dumped Mutsvangwa, just as he did to many in 2004 after the so-called Tsholotsho Declaration. I pity all his supporters who are sacrificing limb and resources for him,” a senior party official said.
An angry Mugabe — thoroughly fed up with his warring underlings — savaged Mutsvangwa in a televised address to the nation on Friday evening, virtually signalling the end of the career both in the former liberation movement and in government of the former leader of the war veterans, an alleged kingpin of the party faction loyal to Mnangagwa.
The long-ruling nonagenarian was flanked by his two deputies as he made his unusual address — with a decidedly surly-looking Mnangagwa to his right, and a comparatively relaxed Phelekezela Mphoko to his left.
Without mincing his words, Mugabe pointedly accused the garullous Mutsvangwa of having misled war veterans into trooping into Harare last Thursday — where they were battered by police — after they were made to believe that the nonagenarian would address them.
“For him (Mutsvangwa) to have called a meeting about which we knew nothing about, in circumstances in which he had not clearly sought permission from the authorities in violation therefore of the law, and he being a minister, he cannot at the end after the law and order officers have taken action against the meeting and the war veterans complain that he was ill-treated.
“He must bear the responsibility,” Mugabe thundered, adding ominously that Mutsvangwa would pay for his misdemeanours.
“He (Mutsvangwa) has acted in a manner we describe as irresponsible and a manner that brings the name of the party and government into disrepute. We regret that they (war veterans) suffered this (police battering) but the man to blame is their minister and of course he has to answer why he did that without authority,” the nonagenarian fumed further.
Mugabe’s outburst followed the unprecedented move by riot police last Thursday, who clamped down on a group of war veterans loyal to Mnangagwa — tear-gassing and water-spraying them before unyieldingly forcing them to disperse — after the former freedom fighters attempted to flex their muscles and congregate unlawfully in Harare.
The chaos, which the Daily News had accurately predicted in its editions of the previous weeks, came as Zanu PF’s ugly internal ructions get deadlier and dirtier, with the party faction linked to Mnangagwa increasingly mounting an open rebellion against Mugabe and Grace.
So in-your-face and aggressive had some of the utterances and tactics being employed by Team Lacoste become, that there had been for some time real fear within Zanu PF that the ruling party’s escalating brawls could soon boil over into bloody conflict.
Many disinterested bystanders and journalists were caught up in the Thursday mayhem, as police threw teargas and sprayed water on the gathered group of war veterans who had trickled into the capital to attend their rally at the City Sports Stadium — with the apparent objective of baying for First Lady Grace’s blood, who recently excoriated Mnangagwa.
The sources who spoke to the Daily News yesterday further claimed that Mnangagwa “has a history of abandoning” his followers, and that Mutsvangwa would not be “the first or last one to suffer this fate”.
Among other alleged VP allies who are currently under the cosh in the ruling party are the provincial leaders of Midlands, Masvingo and Mashonaland East — namely Kizito Chivamba, Ezra Chadzamira and Biggie Matiza respectively — who are all facing the big boot.
In addition, Masvingo Province also made moves yesterday to fire other alleged top Mnangagwa kingpins — politburo members Josiah Hungwe and Lovemore Matuke.
Meanwhile, University of Kent academic, Alex Magaisa, wrote on his blog at the weekend that Mugabe’s apology to war veterans last Friday was deliberately designed to isolate Mutsvangwa from his core constituency in Zanu PF’s succession battle.
“While the attack was on Mutsvangwa, there is no doubting who the real casualty was here. It was the man sitting to the right of the president, Mnangagwa.
“After all, it was his interest that Mutsvangwa was representing all along. He has been the most vociferous ambassador of Team Lacoste and silencing him will leave the faction weaker,” Magaisa said.
He added that although Mugabe had also denounced the two warring factions in the party — the G40 and Team Lacoste — the nonagenarian’s attack had weighed heavily against the latter, which was a huge dent on Mnangagwa’s mooted presidential ambitions.
This is not the first time that critics have claimed that Mnangagwa never supports his followers.
Late last year, other Zanu PF insiders said the VP “always struggled” to live up to the popular caricature of his nickname, that of a ruthless crocodile, in the party’s seemingly-unstoppable factional and succession wars.

Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister, Jorum Gumbo on Monday said Air Rhodesia  was better than the current Air Zimbabwe which his government is failing to administer.
Government is the sole shareholder of Air Zimbabwe which is on the verge of collapse.
“Air Zimbabwe used to do very well when it was Rhodesia and that is the past and colonial, and we do not want to be beaten by that colonial past but to excel and do better during this time when we are a liberated country under Air Zimbabwe and not Air Rhodesia,” Gumbo told Journalists in Harare on Monday who were attending the launch of 48^th Annual General Assembly and summit of the African Airlines Association (AFRAA) which Zimbabwe is set to host in November in Victoria Falls.
“We want again to be the hub of Southern Africa in air aviation”.
Gumbo said this was not going to happen if Air Zimbabwe continues to fly “two” passengers.
He said  locals should augment government’s efforts of reviving the national airline by boarding Air Zimbabwe planes.
The national airline has on several occasions flown two passengers from deferent international, regional and local destinations.
At one point it flew one passenger from Johannesburg to Victoria Falls after it had done the same from Victoria Falls to Harare in September 2011.
In December last year Air Zimbabwe made headlines after it had spilled raw effluent 30 minutes from landing in South Africa.

Former Vice President Joice Mujuru says her late husband Solomon Mujuru was probably shot before his house was set alight.
“There was a blue, blue flame, almost 1 and a half to 2 meters high, not normal at all. It seemed to me there was some kind of accelerant,” she described the inferno in an interview with the Sunday Times (UK) newspaper. A local white farmer who rushed to the scene said he believed a white phosphorus grenade was used to burn the body.
“I can’t say who did it, but they know the people in power. It will come out,” said Mujuru.
Asked if she thought President Robert Mugabe was involved, she simply “pursed” her lips, according to the report.
Despite the suspicious death of her husband, Mujuru remained in government only to be fired three years down the line on accusations of plotting an insurrection against Mugabe, whom she looked upon as a “father”.
“It was the shock of my life,” she said of her sacking in December 2014.
Ahead of her sacking, Mujuru says, she approached Mugabe one day after a cabinet meeting to find out if he really believed the reports that she wanted to kill him. “I am hearing it from the ministry of intelligence,” Mugabe reportedly answered her.
“Father, If you are my shed and protecting me from the sun, how can I take an axe and destroy that shed? I would be a mad person. I am only banking on you to look after me,” she recalls telling Mugabe before she left the meeting in “fear”
“My mouth was completely dry,” she said.
According to the report, that fear may not have left her up to now as she never referred to Mugabe by his name during the interview, preferring to call him “He” “as if he was a deity”.
But she had no kind words for her former boss still, referring to him as a “backward” “liar”.
She said, “I am a Christian and a member of the salvation army. I have never used magic. A head of state using his platform to lie and believing stories about frogs being kept in a calabash and if one dies dies then he will die. I said to myself what a backward man.”
Mujuru went on to reveal how an aged Mugabe depended on her when he was tired during cabinet meetings.
“He would speak for 15 minutes and then nod off. I would then chair the meeting with everyone ignoring the fact that he was asleep,” she said.
Mujuru is not the first to reveal this trend as former industry minister, Welshman Ncube, also said, a few years ago, that Mugabe routinely slept during cabinet meetings. According to Ncube, when that moment came, Mugabe’s entire body tended to “collapse”.
On Mugabe’s wife, Grace, who led a vicious campaign against her, Mujuru says the First Lady “saw me as a threat”. “Her (Grace) power only lasts as long as he (Mugabe) is there,” said Mujuru.
According to Mujuru, who recently registered her People First party, dramatic events in Zanu PF and in the country could be an indicator that Mugabe’s rule was coming to “an end”.
She said, “I think this is pointing to an end. He no longer has the energy to tell them to stop, and no one listens to him. He has no respect now-from anybody. It’s painful.”
Mugabe was, last Friday, forced to take to the national TV to call for calm and rebuke his ministers who have been divided into warring factions over the succession issue.
Mujuru describes herself as a grandmother and a farmer. She has ten grandchildren and 135, 000 chicken which she keeps at her farm she got during Mugabe’s land grab exercise.
She, however, believes that Mugabe owed a lot to the Mujurus. She said: “My husband used to risk his life to go and talk to [Mugabe]… then come back and talk to other commanders to accept him. Mugabe owed a lot to him and the family.”

Zanu PF legislator for Chimanimani  Munacho Mutezo is set to be recalled from parliament as factionalism in the divided party deepens.
The former Energy and Power Development deputy Minister, was fired from government together with his boss Dzikamai Mavhaire in December 2014 on allegations of assisting  former Vice President Joice Mujuru to assassinate President Robert Mugabe.
According to the state media, Manicaland provincial leadership at the weekend met and unanimously recommended that Mutezo be recalled from parliament.
Manicaland province according to the state media alleges that Mutezo has joined the People First project.
Zanu PF Manicaland provincial executive member,  Cruiswell Mugombe said they had discovered  Mutezo and Councillor Joseph Zviuya were  no longer serving the interests of the party.
He said Mutezo was recruiting people for Mujuru’s project in Chimanimani.
Politburo member, Oppah Muchinguri and Provincial Chairman, Dr Samuel Undenge also recommended the recalling from parliament of Mutezo.

The trial of one of the suspects involved in the alleged Gushungo Dairy farm bomb scare which opened on Friday at the Harare Magistrate’s Court saw the State Media publishing what strongly appears to be a u-turn on the charges.
The development saw the official government broadcaster discounting the terrorism charge of a bomb attack plot, labelling it a mere “scare.”
The headline title in the ZBC news read: “Gushungo Dairy bomb scare: Suspect trial opens”.
Meanwhile the trial was convened with the accused, Borman Ngwenya, filing five different applications.
Ngwenya is facing one count of possession of weapons of sabotage and another count of contravening Section 9(1) of the Money Laundering and Proceeds of Crime Act Chapter 9.24 that deals with financing of terrorist offences.
The state represented by Mr Michael Reza had brought Owen Kuchata to testify.
Kuchata was sentenced after pleading guilty to the same charges and is now supposed to testify against his accomplices.
Before the state could call its witness, Ngwenya filed an application challenging the splitting of the two counts he is facing.
He also sought the court to produce evidence of ownership of Gushungo Dairy farm.
However, the state led by Mr Reza indicated it has been made clear from the onset that the farm does not belong to the government but to the First Family.
Ngwenya through his legal counsel also filed another application seeking the release of the docket in which he is charged for treason.
The state indicated the docket is not yet complete.
The accused further applied to the court to order access to information of communication of his telephone line, a request that the state believes can be done by the accused in his personal capacity without a court order.
Ngwenya also challenged what he said is selective prosecution arguing charges for some of his accomplices were withdrawn.

Zimbabwe’s President Robert Mugabe on Friday took stage to follow his wife by screaming out the derogatory two worded phrase,”Shut Up!” His wife for 15 months to date, is now known by her own locution “Stop It.”
Mugabe blasted factionalism in Zanu-PF and called on those propping the G40 and Team Lacoste factions in the party to “shut up”. Zanu-PF, he said, would take action against those bringing the name of the party into disrepute.
The President, who was in a no-nonsense mood, said this while flanked by his deputies, Vice Presidents Emmerson Mnangagwa and Phelekezela Mphoko.
He took umbrage on those fanning tribalism, saying Zimbabwe was a unitary State and that unity shall never be broken on tribal lines. President Mugabe said party members should unite and guard against external interference.
The President spoke in the wake of factional feuds that have seen some Zanu-PF members abusing social media to attack fellow party members and Thursday’s clash between the police and war veterans.
“Let me make reference to the disturbing phenomenon of what you might say or regard as man, devouring man, devouring comrade, kind of dog fights that are taking place,” he said.
“During the liberation struggle, we had contradictions, sometimes differences of an antagonistic nature, very ugly, but we dealt with them in a manner which recognises that the party had ideological direction, the party had national objectives to pursue and those offended and those who offended against them were punished and this is so even unto today. We are a people’s party, but people’s party means people with various ideas.
“However, the basic principles of the party continue to be adhered to and pursued. The political direction of the party must also continue to guide us. The comradeship and need for unity and togetherness of the party — that is the fundamental basis on which we build ourselves and must continue to exist.
“Now, if contradictions develop, they should be never of the nature that is that antagonistic to negative where people start fighting each other, fighting each other, abusing each other, and we are seeing this happening now. Even our young people, the party aside- there is also the culture. Our culture never, never allows a young person even an elder to abuse another but now you get we are all being abused. The President, his wife in a manner that is very disgraceful. It is a shame. If a man or woman belongs to the opposition party, yes we may criticise them but we do not abuse them. We don’t abuse them. Culturally it’s wrong. Hazviitwe. So we will definitely take action where we feel action should be taken within the party.
“We don’t want to hear any divisive voice from you. The G40s or what you call Lacoste or whatever, shut up! You belong to Zimbabwe first and foremost whatever you must say. Shut up! Let us not hear any divisive voice from you –the G40s or what you call Lacoste, whatever!”
President Mugabe said there was need to instil discipline in the party. ‘’There is need for a whip of discipline now to be shown and to be used.’’ The squabbles in Zanu-PF, he said, should be stopped, urging party members to be wary of external interference He said people should strive to leave a positive legacy for future generations.
“Think of what our ancestors have bequeathed as a legacy for us and what we ourselves in turn shall bequeath as a legacy for our own children,” said the President. “We don’t intend to leave a legacy of differences, insults, indiscipline and quarrels and misunderstanding. No! We want harmony and peace, togetherness and one right defence, fight for that legacy. Fight against any interference from outside.
“That legacy, it must not be interfered with, to be that togetherness, that peacefulness is what we want to see in Zimbabwe. This season has not been that good and as we wrestle to provide our people with means whereby they can make do and manage, you know, cross over to next year. As we do that, we must not have disturbances.
“The fights and quarrels that appeared to be taking place now — this is time that we should put all our shoulders to the wheel and say let’s work for our people to survive for our children to continue to go to school. Let’s work, so we can survive together all of us without exception regardless of our parties, regardless of our regions, regardless of our cultures.
“All of us must survive this year. Zimbabweans must survive together. I say once again, lets remain united.”
On tribalism and external interference, President Mugabe said: “We will not be diverted by whatever else happened and know the enemy is working very hard amongst us to deviate us from the direction we have taken as Zimbabweans. With the right of self determination on programmes that are meant to end our people with the necessary wealth, wealth intellectually as we educate them and wealth material as we exploit their natural resources which belongs to them-beginning with the land. It doesn’t matter which tribe we belong to. We are all national. Sons of the soil. Vana vevhu. That is what we have called ourselves in the past and still call ourselves today. This because we belong to one another regardless of which region we come from, which province come from, which tribe we belong to. And the war was fought on the basis of that recognition, that we belong to one another. We belong to each other, we are one as Zimbabweans and as Zimbabweans the suffering of our people in one region are our suffering and the Government being the party that they belong to, must recognise and pay attention to their suffering and try to provide necessary remedies.
“Quarrels maybe, there are always quarrels in families, in villages but our togetherness as Zimbabweans shall never be broken and that is why we say we are just one Zimbabwe. Pamberi neZimbabwe, Pamberi nekubatana. Those programmes, as is now regulated and motivated by our engine ZimAsset, are peoples’ programmes and they should not be allowed to fail. But, let us take care. I want to repeat this. Take immense care to guard against the machinations of our external enemies. They want Zimbabwe not to succeed. They want Zimbabwe to fall. We won’t allow it.”
President Mugabe said the youths were preparing for the 21st February Movement celebrations in Masvingo and it was important to clear the path by bringing the discord in the party to rest. President Mugabe said the venue of the celebrations had a historical importance to Zimbabwe and thanked the youths for choosing it.
“Our young people are arranging that get-together on their day which is in praise of the President as it is meant to be a recognition of the President’s birthday. But we regard it as the day of our youths – the 21st of February although the recognition is put on 27 February and they have prepared for, will take place at Zimbabwe Ruins,” said President Mugabe.
“We want the road to be clear. We want to go there without divisions, without the insults from any quota, with the unity of purpose, with the oneness I talked about of being Zimbabweans and going to the Great Zimbabwe is going to our birth place for we are now the Republic of Zimbabwe and the children of that Republic are Zimbabweans and that is why we are going there and I am glad our youths have chosen that venue.
“We want to go and pay our tribute to our birth place. Let us think of that. Tive munhu mumwe chete takabana. Zvondo tirikande pasi, tirikande pasi tive nekunzwanana.” State Media

Indigenisation Minister Patrick Zhuwao, has threatened to sue media organisations that would continue to associate the President Robert Mugabe’s Nephew with a Zanu PF factional group called Generation-40 which is pushing for Grace Mugabe to succeed her husband.
Other members of Zhuwao’s so called G-40 , include Higher and Tertiary Education Minister, Jonathan Moyo, Local government Minister, Saviour Kasukuwere , Philip Chiyangwa and Shadreck Mashayamombe who is the Zanu PF political commissar for Harare.
“To demonstrate my commitment to ending this abuse of the media, I wish to advise that I have instructed my lawyers to initiate legal proceedings for defamation with respect to defamatory statements contained in an article by Reason Wafawarova in the Herald of 18^th February 2016,” Zhuwao told reporters in Harare Sunday.
G-40 which is fighting against Vice President Emerson Mnangagwa in the Zanu PF succession battles has of late been lambasted by the state media which is said to be sympathetic to Mnangagwa.
“I have taken this unprecedented step in the hope of all media institutions would review their editorial policies to put into effect the sentiments by His Excellency President Robert Mugabe in his state of the nation address on 18^th February 2016”.
“I am humbly requesting and imploring upon all the editors to exclude me from the divisive factional matrix of their editorial policies”.

PRESIDENT ROBERT Mugabe is in full control of Government and fit enough to put more man hours into his work than any of his detractors ever could, the Head of the Civil Service has said.
Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet Dr Misheck Sibanda told, the State Media last week that Government was not on“auto-pilot” and the President remained seized with his rigorous executive schedule.
Dr Sibanda implored the media to report truthfully about President Mugabe and desist from abusing him. He also spoke of his service to the President spanning some 40 years during which time he has seen his boss’ best qualities, including his “fatherly disposition” that saw the inclusive Government (2009-2013) function cohesively against all odds.
For some time, the private media and opposition elements have speculated over President Mugabe’s health and age, claiming he was no longer capable of leading Government. Others have instinuated he had become detached from Government business.
But ahead of the President’s 92nd birthday anniversary today, Dr Sibanda told our Harare Bureau that the sole centre of power remained firmly in charge.
“He is alert, he knows what is happening. All those things (that he is no longer fit) are myths because he works — I can tell you. Sometimes he goes beyond nine o’clock or 10 o’clock. He is amazing . . . He is fit; that I can tell you because we work with him. He has a very, very tight (weekly) programme. So, whoever says (he is not fit), we don’t know. (These are) totally, totally misplaced (notions). In fact, most of these people who say so are sometimes themselves not fit. He has stamina; that I can tell you.”
Dr Sibanda said President Mugabe’s daily itinerary was packed with major engagements; from a stack of briefings to analysing proposed laws — word by word — as well as overseeing all ministers, engaging diplomats and other individuals, and also conducting international duties in Sadc, the African Union and United Nations.
The President, he said, was presently directing a massive food mobilisation to help drought-ravaged communities.
“You can, therefore, see that when some people allege that Government is auto-piloting, you don’t dignify those comments with a reply because you will be wasting your time. If you reply to blatant falsehood, you eventually engage a person. Because a person who has nothing to offer can want to take you to another level even when arguing. The best thing is to just keep quiet. That’s why some of us don’t want (to be in) the Press. It’s very rare to discuss publicly.”
He added: “When you see some people abusing such leaders because of his humility, you wonder where we came from, especially the youngsters of today. It’s our collective responsibility — the media included — to work on some of these aspects.
“We wish our media could also help us in celebrating (the President’s birthday) with everbody in a jubilant manner rather than as is the past with some sections of the media, always portraying a caricature of the person of the President. He deserves something better because he has seen it all. People should write the truth about the man of his character. He is a unique character who has been bestowed to us by God.”
On the inclusive Government, Dr Sibanda said, “As Chair of Cabinet, he managed to steer the whole process, though people were antagonistic towards each other initially. . .It was his ability to manage contradictions. They (MDC formations) started respecting President Mugabe, the leader.
“They revered him; they saw him now – that fatherly figure, that he means well, he means beyond their narrow party ideology. He is for the nation. They realised they were possibly painting the President too negatively and that was not correct. They understood the man.
“Some (after losing the elections) said, ‘If we are needed, even if it’s a Zanu-PF Government, talk to the President. Possibly we can come and serve because we want to serve.’ (They said they wanted roles) in any capacity. You could tell that it was because of how they had been handled. To me, it was amusing.”-Sunday Mail

A 37-YEAR-OLD self-confessed Chiredzi prophet landed himself in trouble with the law when he removed a corpse from the coffin, ordered a refill of the grave and the destruction of the coffin before carrying the body to the top of a hill where he spent two days praying for it to resurrect but failed. This was after he was asked to deliver agraveyard sermon immediately before burial. His bid to perform the miracle that Jesus performed on Lazarus was a futility after the corpse continued to decompose at an alarming rate in the 48 hours that he prayed for it. Mourners and relatives had to contact the police after the send-off of their relative Kudakwashe Garapo was somehow disturbed after the man of the cloth Paison Musimari of Batsirai compound in Mkwasine, Chiredzi told them he can give him another lease of life through prayers.
He was arrested last week and has since appeared at the Chiredzi magistrates’ court for “violating a corpse” as defined in section 111 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act Chapter 9:23. He appeared before Ms Constance Mtandwa and was remanded out of custody to 29 February.
Circumstances as presented by the prosecutor, Mr Liberty Hove, are that following the death of Garapo whose age could not be given, Musimari was asked to preach at the graveyard before burial. It is the State’s case that Musimari took to the stage and started his sermon while Garapo’s body was lying in a closed coffin adjacent to the grave.
The State further told the court that while preaching, the accused gave a prophecy to the mourners to the effect that the deceased would resurrect the following day and warned against burying the deceased saying it was tantamount to burying someone alive.
And much to the chagrin of mourners and relatives, Musimari in a trance-like state went and opened the coffin, removed the body from it and carried it to a hilltop while ordering stunned mourners to carry the empty coffin home or possibly destroy it as well as filling in the empty grave while they wait for him to bring their resurrected relative.
Some of the relatives, however, could not stomach the sight of the unheard of miracle except in the Bible and they reported the case to the police. The following day police officers arrived and found Musimari still with the body at the top of a hill praying for it.
The court further heard that the body was already at an advanced stage of decomposition mostly due to exposure to the scorching sun and since that was the fourth day after death. The accused person was arrested and police ordered the burial of the deceased at Nyangambe that same day.-State Media

INVESTIGATIONS have unearthed that the decomposing body found last week on a Western Global Airlines cargo plane at Harare International Airport was that of a stowaway, and that the craft was carrying about R60 billion destined for South Africa’s Reserve Bank.
Indications are that the stowayay could have died four days before his body was discovered on the plane on February 14. The plane was impounded after it landed for refuelling and Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe staff noticed blood.
Transport and Infrastructure Development Minister Dr Joram Gumbo said the plane was released at midnight on Friday with the decomposed body and the billions of rand in cash.
Sources said the MD-11 trijet cargo plane, which spent five days at the airport under heavy guard, was packed with R100, R50, R20 and R10 denominations printed in Munich, Germany for the SARB as it tries to shore up that country’s flagging currency.
Police spokesperson Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba said postmortem results showed that the stowaway died from asphyxia (lack of oxygen), meaning he died after hiding on the craft.
The autopsy, she said, also indicated that the body was already being attacked by maggots, indicating he may have been dead for four days before discovery.
Snr Asst Comm Charamba confirmed that the plane was released early Saturday morning after security services, Foreign Affairs and Immigration officials had cleared it.
“There were no external or internal injuries to the body which means that there was no likelihood of foul play or murder. The fact that he had no internal or external injuries also shows that he got on the plane alive but later died of asphyxia,” Snr Asst Comm Charamba said. She said the ZRP had sent a notice to Interpol to trace the stowaway’s nationality in Cote d’Ivoire, Nigeria, Uganda, Belgium and Germany because the Florida-based Western Global Airlines plane passed through these countries before it landed in Zimbabwe.
The man’s fingerprints were sent to the same countries. Officials at the airport who cannot be named for professional reasons told The Sunday Mail that the stowaway had unkempt hair, a dirty t-shirt, trousers held up by a piece of cloth improvised as a belt, and worn out slippers. Western Global Airlines cargo aircraft crew requested for landing authority in Zimbabwe after they had failed to secure landing instructions at King Tshaka Airport, Durban from their company.
The police spokesperson said Zimbabwe allowed the plane to land in line with provisions of the Convention on International Civil Aviation which provides that member states can render assistance to distressed international air services.
“The cargo plane itinerary indicates that its original departure place was Liege Belgium on 11 February 2016 and it made a stopover in Abidjan Ivory Coast, on the same day. 12 February 2016 Abuja Nigeria, Intebbe Uganda then 13 February 2016 to Liege Belgium and later Munich Germany where they picked up their consignment meant for the Reserve Bank of South Africa,” said Snr Asst Comm Charamba.
The plane crew – two Americans, a Pakistani and a South African – spent the past week at a five-star hotel in the city centre while SARB officials were “sleeping on the plane” as Zimbabwean security agents stood guard outside.
In 2004, Zimbabwe aviation authorities impounded a plane with 64 mercenaries led by Simon Mann on board as they planned to who to stage a coup in Equatorial Guinea.State Media

Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition (CIZC) says the country is going to experience the worst human rights violations perpetrated on citizens by the military as a result of Zanu PF in fighting.
Reacting to the  attacks on former liberation war fighters by the police in Harare this week, CIZC said armed forces should  protect citizens.
Heavily armed police on Thursday descended on war veterans who had gathered for a meeting in the capital.
They used teargas and water cannons to disperse the peaceful gathering alleging that the Indaba was illegal.
“We fear for the worst in terms of human rights abuses emanating from armed forces’ brutality against Zimbabwean citizens given the current infighting within the ruling party, Zanu PF,”said the civil society representative group.
“We implore the security services to desist from serving partisan interests as enshrined under the country’s constitution”.
Crisis says it is disappointed to note that armed forces are being used by politicians.
“CIZC castigates the manipulation of the security services to push selfish agendas by those in the echelons of power and implores the security sector to respect people’s constitutional rights such as the right to peaceful demonstrations as well as freedom of expression and association”.

By Terrence Mawawa, Masvingo|A police officer last week brutally assaulted a local motorist accusing him of pirating.

Stephen Radzoka got the shock of his life when Constable Bothwell Razerera pounced on him after he dropped off a woman in the city centre. Razerera accused Radzoka of illegally pirating and he forced his way into the latter’s car. The cop began to assault Radzoka with clenched fists and open palms all over his body.

During the assault Radzoka fell down and sustained a deep cut above the left eye. Radzoka received three stitches on the left eye as a result of the assault.
“When I got up the police officer had already fled from the scene because the crowd came to the place baying for the cop’s blood,” reads part of Radzoka’s statement.
When Radzoka arrived at Masvingo Central Police Station he was surprised when he was accused of beating the police officer and was charged with assault since the cop had made a statement ahead of him.
Sources claimed Razerera demanded a bribe from Radzoka and the latter refused,leading to the scuffle. Radzoka’s lawyer Charles Ndlovu of Ndlovu and Hwacha Legal Practitioners has since filed papers opposing the prosecution of his client arguing he is the one who was bashed by the cop.
Masvingo Police Spokesperson Inspector Charity Mazula said she was not aware of the incident.
“We have not received anything to that effect,” she said.
The police have been accused of trying to protect one of their own after the barbaric incident. In Zimbabwe the police have crossed paths with the public on several occasions because of the partisan manner in which they execute their duties.

The Zanu-PF Youth League has distanced itself from utterances by the organ’s deputy secretary Kudzanai Chipanga that the wing was ready to fight veterans of the liberation struggle, as well as staging a demonstration against the State Media.
Chipanga told some youths that they should get ready for war against war veterans whom he said were fewer than the youths whom he said constituted 65 percent of the population.
He also claimed that war veterans were suffering from sugar diabetes, and as such, would not last a protracted confrontation.
But in an interview with the State Media yesterday, Pupurai Togarepi said the youth league respected veterans of the struggle, as such they had no reason to fight them.
“There is no reason to fight the war veterans because we are learning a lot from them,” he said. “They are the people who showed their resilience in liberating this country. So, there is no reason whatsoever.
“The majority of our youths who are in the executive of our structures are children of veterans of the liberation struggle who are war veterans, war collaborators and ex- detainees. So they would not fight their own parents.
“The position of the Youth League is that these founding fathers of our revolution are critical for us to learn from and move forward with our revolution.”
Togarepi said the revolutionary party had mechanisms in place to deal with personal clashes among members of its organs.
“I have talked to my deputy ( Chipanga) about that issue and he showed me that he had no intention to have any misunderstanding with the war veterans but it could have been a statement that was misread or misunderstood.
Togarepi also said the Youth League had no right to demonstrate against the State Media as incited by Chipanga. He said they had no problems with the State Media, or any journalists, but were against denigration of the party leadership by some party officials and some sections of the media.
“the Herald must continue to do its work and must continue to do that without any fear or favour. There won’t be youths coming there to have any confrontation with the media there or any person there. It is not our way of doing things.
“Otherwise we have nothing against any journalist, but obviously we get offended when journalists, time and again, insult our leaders. It has become a norm that journalists will insult the President, insult the Vice Presidents- Mnangagwa and Mphoko, the First Lady and many other leaders are subjected to a lot of abuse,” said Togarepi.
He also confirmed meeting President Mugabe where they deliberated about the conduct of the youths and the role they should play in the development of the country.
“The President said (we should) ensure that youths are busy. They work for themselves and work for this country. He said there is no need for them to involve themselves in areas that affect their stature as responsible youths. So he said do whatever you can to direct youths to be responsible, well-groomed, well-educated and advised as future leaders.
Togarepi who addressed a Press conference earlier, defended the 21st February Movement celebrations saying it was worthwhile, given President Mugabe’s role in the independence of the country.
He was fielding questions from journalists who asked why the party did not direct the money that has been mobilised for the celebrations towards procuring food for citizens facing hunger.
“We are celebrating the life of a person who has brought so much good to his country. These problems are not unique to Zimbabwe. There are authorities in Zimbabwe that are supposed to look after the social needs, feeding needs of our people,” Togarepi said.

President Mugabe is a national leader who remains guided by the wartime mantra of “Mwana wevhu” which pre-empted any notions of tribalism and regionalism leading to the successful execution of the war of liberation, Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko has said.
He said tribalism was a political modus operandi of the Rhodesians which should not be tolerated.
“We should promote the notion of ‘son of the soil’ like what used to happen during the war. Not that I am from Manicaland, I am from Masvingo or I am from Matabeleland. No!” said VP Mphoko.
“A ‘son of the soil’ does not come from a region and does not have a creed. He or she is just a Zimbabwean. That is what we should promote. Not that someone is Ndebele and another is a Karanga.”
He said President Mugabe and the late Vice President Joshua Nkomo variously worked with a lot of people from different tribes during the war but never resorted to tribalism.
VP Mphoko was addressing thousands of people at a rally at Marisamhuka Centre in Mhondoro to garner support for Zanu-PF candidate in the Mhondoro-Mubaira by-election George Gangarahwe.
“I want to repeat what I said in Chiweshe. If you see yourself saying that President Mugabe is Zezuru, then you don’t know what we fought for. And if you say that President Mugabe is Zezuru and should be replaced by a Ndau, Ndebele and Karanga that is not what we fought for,” he said.
He said President Mugabe is not Zezuru but a national leader and so is he and Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa who are Ndebele and Karanga respectively.
VP Mphoko said no one can claim to be a war veteran, or a member of Zanu-PF while denigrating the President and First Lady Amai Grace Mugabe.
“Those who denigrate the President and First Lady are not Zanu-PF. There is no war veteran under the command who can turn against the President. You cannot have someone break a sweat while denigrating the leadership and claim to be Zanu-PF,” he said.
War veterans gathered at the City Sports Centre in Harare on Thursday to hold a feedback meeting, but it was disrupted by police who said it was not sanctioned.
Vp Mphoko said there are some cadres who were part of the Mujuru cabal who realised the folly of their ways and should be welcomed back into the party.
“Commissar, you have a lot of work to talk to cadres that we have worked with for a long time who have remained loyal to the party so that we welcome them back to the party. People like Shamu (Webster),” he said.
Shamu made a slogan denouncing the upstart Zimbabwe People First party and Dr Joice Mujuru before hailing President Mugabe and First Lady Amai Dr Mugabe. Party secretary for administration Dr Ignatius Chombo said President Mugabe is the sole party candidate for 2018.
“At the Victoria Falls Conference the convocation on page 14 of the party constitution clearly states that our President (Mugabe) as selected at the 2014 Congress will represent the party in 2018,” said Dr Chombo.
“If there is anyone who wants to contest, they can only get the mandate in 2019 to stand for elections in 2023.”
National political commissar Saviour Kasukuwere said Zanu-PF has no shortage of manpower and if any cadres go wayward like Sylvester Nguni they can be expelled and replaced.
Mashonaland West party provincial chairman Ephraim Chengeta said the party had mobilised support for its candidate Gangarahwe in the March 5 by-election. The seat fell vacant following the expulsion and subsequent recall from Parliament of Mr Nguni.
The rally was also attended by Senate president Edna Madzongwe, Mberengwa South legislator Makhosini Hlongwane and Mashonaland West Minister of State Faber Chidarikire among others.

A swimming expedition by three Rusape 15-year-old school boys ended tragically after one of them failed to swim and drowned in Rusape River last Saturday afternoon.
Livingstone Marufu of Mabvazuva high-density suburb a Form Two pupil at St Joseph’s High School was swimming in the company of his friends and classmates, Isaac Jangano and Prosper Muza when tragedy struck.
The young trio was swimming near the gauges of Rusape Dam where there is a footpath that people uses to cross the river when it is not flooded.
Witnesses said when Isaac and Prosper discovered that Livingstone was drowning they called for help and some members of the public attempted to rescue him, but in vain as they claimed that ‘they were also being pulled by something in the water.’
Rusape District police spokesperson, Assistant Inspector Muzondiwa Clean, confirmed the incident and warned members of the public against swimming in rivers and also against crossing rivers on undesignated areas.
“Livingstone Marufu went to Rusape River to swim together with his friends, Isaac Jangano and Prosper Muza on Saturday around 3pm. When they were swimming, Livingstone went to the deepest part and failed to swim and drowned.
“Police Sub-aqua Unit retrieved his body on Sunday morning. We continue to urge members of the public not to swim in rivers and to use bridges when crossing rivers,” he said.
The drowning of Livingstone comes barely a month after a decomposed body of a suspected vagrant was discovered by fisherman in the same river, fuelling speculation that there were mermaids in the river.
According to some senior citizens in the town, not even a single female has drowned in the river, fuelling speculation that the mermaid is female.State Media

Suspected members of the dreaded Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) have abducted  Tendai Biti led People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Matabeleland South provincial secretary for security, Elliot Shelton, the party has said.
The party’s information department said ,Shelton was on Wednesday afternoon abducted by some unknown men who were driving unmarked two white double-cab vehicles.
“The PDP demands the urgent release of Shelton and we hold the state and Zanu PF responsible for the abduction,” said the party.
“We underscore the need for total change in Zimbabwe where the rule of law is upheld and people are respected regardless of their political affiliations”.
PDP said like what happened to the ex- Journalist-cum human rights activist Itai Dzamara whose whereabouts remain unknown since last year in March the same could have happened to their official.
“As the PDP, we demand that Shelton’s abductors must release him to his family and we will make all efforts to secure his location and safe release,” said PDP.
“Zimbabwe cannot continue to feign being a democracy yet its citizens who dare criticize the rotten Zanu  PF leadership are not guaranteed of safety”.

ByTerrence Mawawa|Workers at Chisumbanje Ethanol company owned by President Robert Mugabe’s business partner Billy Rautenbach, have gone for 8 months without salaries and have had anti-riot police details deployed to crush dissent.
The ethanol plan’s business was granted exclusive state access after Rautenbach deceived government claiming he would provide electricity for the whole of Manicaland year in year out.
Workers at his ethanol plant say employees are passing out on duty due to hunger and efforts to resolve the matter have proved fruitless since the police “are constantly quashing” their protests.
“We have gone for 8 months without salaries and our efforts to engage the management have been ruthlessly thwarted by the police. There are police details who are monitoring the situation round the clock. We are only getting a paltry $ 70 each as part of a working allowance. Rautenbach is nowhere to be seen and we are getting agitated by the situation,” said an employee based at Chisumbanje plant.
The workers also said Rautenbach was riding on political immunity because of his closeness to Mugabe.
“We call upon the president to intervene in the situation before the whole thing gets out of hand . We are tired of working for nothing. In-fact we are generating a lot of money here but we are toiling for nothing ,” said another employee based at Middle Sabi ethanol plant.
Rautenbach is also one of Mugabe’s chief sponsors with reports saying he committed thousands of dollars towards the upcoming 21st February Movement bash.

Powers to prosecute are not vested in an individual, but in the National Prosecuting Authority, contrary to claims by arrested Prosecutor General Johannes Tomana, in a case in which he is challenging his placement on remand, the State has said.
Tomana is arguing that his arrest for allegedly releasing suspects who wanted to petrol bomb the First Family’s Alpha Omega Dairy was unconstitutional.
Tomana said prosecutions were conducted under his authority and in this case he had not instituted the criminal process.
But prosecutors Mr Gwinyai Shumba and Mr Timothy Makoni said the new Constitution vested prosecutorial powers in the NPA, a change from provisions of the old Constitution.
They said the Prosecutor General was only a member of the National Prosecuting Authority. Tomana, through his lawyer Advocate Thabani Mpofu instructed by Mr Tazorora Musarurwa and Mr Alex Mambosasa, also argued that Mr Shumba and Mr Makoni had no right and powers to prosecute him since they were his juniors.
But the two said prosecutors do their work on behalf of the State not the Prosecutor General.
“The certificates given to individual prosecutors is merely evidence of title given by the PG to an individual prosecutor to prosecute on behalf of the State,” they said.
“In fact, the saving provisions of the NPA Act make it clear that all prosecutors who had the title to prosecute shall continue with the same title to prosecute in all matters.
“There is no requirement of law that in each emerging case, the PG grants authority to prosecute.”
Tomana said he was immune to prosecution, hence his arrest was a violation of constitutional provisions guaranteeing his independence and protection from intimidation in the exercise and discharge of his functions.
But the State said: “It is clear that the law only immunises the President during the pendency of his office and not after he has ceased holding office.
The immunity that the accused wants to legislate for himself in the constitution, if necessary must be by way of constitutional amendment and referendum. The independence which the PG enjoys does not entail acting arbitrarily and contrary to the dictates of the law.”
The State agreed with the defence that the police take directives from the PG, but they argued that section 219 of the Constitution, which provides for the police service and its functions did not exclude criminal abuse of duty by State functionaries from being detected.
The State further argued that most issues raised by Tomana in his application were liable to trial, adding that the application was not sound at all as the constitution placed everybody below the law.
The magistrate Mr Vakayi Chikwekwe ordered the State to recall the investigating officer Assistant Commissioner Thulani Ncube on the witness stand and clarify the validity of Tomana’s arrest.
Asst Comm Ncube said Tomana’s arrest was not illegal, adding that he was the one who instructed his subordinates to arrest him. Advocate Mpofu questioned who the complainant was in the matter.
“You made yourself the complainant, you caused his arrest and you took the decision to take him to court so that he be prosecuted. From what you have said, do you see that this is a police prosecution.”
After hearing submissions from both counsels, Mr Chikwekwe remanded the matter to Monday next week for ruling.
Tomana is facing criminal abuse of duty as a public officer, or alternatively defeating or obstructing the course of justice after he allegedly ordered the release of Silas Pfupa and Solomon Makumbe suspected of trying to petrol-bomb the First Family’s Alpha Omega Dairy farm in Mazowe.State Media

By Terrence Mawawa |Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko a self confessed disciple of the First Lady Grace Mugabe is under fire for his sensational claims that the Karangas will never take over the presidency of the country.

The bootlicking Mphoko went out of the way when he claimed the Karangas will never rule the country, drawing the ire of politicians across the political divide in Masvingo. Mphoko who has aligned himself with the G40 camp stunned all and sundry when he claimed Karangas would never rule the Zimbabwe. Senior Zanu PF officials known to be sympathetic to Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa said Mphoko was a man of stature but he had little brains.They said Mphoko’s utterances were calculated to belittle Karanga politicians -particularly Mnangagwa.
“Mphoko’s comments are unfortunate, reckless and uncouth. He made a clear insult to us. Mphoko must quickly retract his utterances before the 21st February Movement celebrations -otherwise we will stage a demonstration against him and his supporters,”  said a Member of Parliament who chose not to be named. In a rare alliance, albeit of perceptions, former Zanu PF politburo member Dzikamai Mavhaire said, “Mphoko’s views are full of hatred .All people have the right to choose their own leaders despite tribal backgrounds.We do not tolerate such kind of talk”.
Former MDC MP and current PDP deputy national secretary general Tongai Matutu said Mphoko did not deserve to lead the national healing committee . “We have been segregated by Mphoko’s comments. He must apologise for his utterances,”said Matutu. Political analysts here said Mphoko insulted the entire Karanga tribe through reckless comments meant to please his boss Grace Mugabe in the G40 formation.
Mphoko has torched yet another fire in the already raging storm in the ruling party and the Vice President’s sentiments have ignited further tension in the troubled party. Mphoko’s sentiments have triggered anger even outside the ruling party.

Prosecutor General Johannes Tomana is part of a (CIO) Central Intelligence Organisation boob that eventually led to his arrest, emerged on Thursday as the court heard.
The magistrate hearing his case’s submissions was on Thursday told the two accused people in the Gushungo Dairy farm bombing whose charges Tomana withdrew are in fact members of the CIO wing in the military.
Representing Tomana, the lawyer Thabani Mpofu revealed to the court the two accused persons whose charges were withdrawn were members of the military intelligence who had been deployed to foil the bombing plot.
The court was told that the Prosecutor General withdrew the charges to make them witnesses.
Harare provincial magistrate Vakai Chikwekwe ordered the state to call the investigating officer Assistant Commissioner Thulani Ncube to explain the validity of the arrest of Mr Tomana.
This was after the defence argued the state did not place before the court sound evidence that can warranty the dismissal of application challenging prosecution of the Prosecutor General.
Cross examining the investigating officer, Advocate Mpofu said the constitution of Zimbabwe clearly outlines that the Prosecutor General is the one who has the mandate to review work by the Commissioner General of police not the other way round.
Advocate Mpofu queried the authority of prosecution as the area prosecutor Jonathan Murombedzi is alleged to have recused himself from prosecuting Mr Tomana.
The advocate indicated the arrest and prosecution of his client was driven by the police and not the laws of the land.

Victims of the Airport road housing demolitions who were dumped at Stoneridge Farm in Harare South are claiming that members of the Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) and known members of some housing cooperatives are corruptly parceling out stands at the Farm.
The desperate residents were early this year left homeless after government demolished their houses.
The directive to raze down the settlement was given by President Robert Mugabe in November last year after the veteran leader had argued that the settlement was an “eyesore” that tarnishes the image of the country.
Residents who spoke to ZimEye.com Thursday said they were being threatened with evictions by members of the CIO and housing cooperatives leaders who are demanding cash for settling at the Farm.
“The same people and cooperatives which are supposed to be controlling the process are together with some CIOs , busy looting the stands giving them their relatives,” said the residents.
They said that the corrupt officials were subdividing some of the stands so that they get more money from desperate home seekers.
“What is really disheartening is that they are even re-pegging the stands, allocating people some small portions which can only accommodate   a small two roomed or one room cottage and we wonder if this is what should be happening or is the beginning of yet another problem,” they said.
“We are appealing to the government for a stakeholders meeting so that they explain to us if what is happening is legal. It is also our wish that the government sets up a commission of inquiry and investigate this corruption”.
 
 
 

War vets leader Mandi Chimene says she has received death threats from unnamed elements.
Chimene, who siezed the association from deposed former leader Christopher Mutsvangwa, says she has since “opened a police case on the matter.”
She lashed out to journalists today, “we want you to know we have received threats, they said I am talkative so I must be silenced and I know that the only way to silence a person is to kill him.”
She continued, “Ndinonzi Chimene ini ndiri mwana wekwaMakoni, ini ndiri mwana wekwaChingaira (I am the daughter of Makoni, the descendant of Chingaira), maybe people want to know why I am so fearless. I was born in a family of cadres, it’s in the blood. I am the daughter of Chingaira whose head was decapitated by the Rhodesians.
“I don’t fear anyone…My grandfather was killed by the whites and his head was taken. He was silenced and there is nothing to fear, kufa kufa (I don’t fear death) and threats will never deter us from serving the interests of war veterans,” she said.

By Terrence Mawawa, Masvingo| President Robert Mugabe has been hit by a grot due to his wife, Grace. Following yesterday’s Provincial Coordinating (PCC)meeting at Chief’s Hall, senior provincial members held a caucus meeting where they vowed to hit President Robert Mugabe with a denial of honour.
They said they will bunk his birthday bash if the suspension of Provincial chairman Ezra Chadzamira is not reversed.
Intimate party sources told ZimEye.com a caucus meeting was held at a local hotel yesterday where senior Zanu PF members concurred to boycott Mugabe’s birthday party if the nonagenarian fails to act on his erratic wife.
Senior provincial party members including Gutu Central MP Lovemore Matuke, former Chivi Central MP Paul Mangwana and war veterans provincial chairman Tendeukai Chinooneka yesterday openly condemned Kasukuwere for violating the party constitution.
The widening cracks in Zanu PF are now threatening national security and stability, analysts have said.
A Zanu PF insider who attended the caucus meeting said: “We may end up staying away from the birthday bash if the Chadzamira issue is not resolved. We are prepared to face them(Grace and her G40 team). We will tell them in the face -who are they to suspend a provincial chairman in an unproceduaral manner? The very same people are igniting regionalism. How can a high prolife person appear on national television uttering hogwash?”.
It appears an imminent split is looming in Zanu PF with Mugabe deeply reluctant to close in on his wife who appeared on national television attacking Vice President Mnangagwa.
Yesterday Mangwana said he was not afraid to be fired for saying out the truth.

Dear Editor,

This girl(pictured) was fatally crushed to death, ran over by a BMW whilst selling mushrooms near Snake World. There is an urgent need for the council to help people get designated vending sites.
 

By Terrence Mawawa |Masvingo| A 63 year old man raped a 13 year old girl at knife point and infected her with a Sexually Transmitted Infection(STI) in the process.
Samuel Gozhori Ushe of Ushe Village in Bikita appeared before Masvingo Regional Magistrate Collet Ncube facing trial for three counts of rape. It is understood some time in February last year Ushe sneaked into the minor’s bedroom at around 8pm wielding a knife. While pointing the knife at the minor Ushe threatened to cut her head off if she resisted. He the forcibly removed her clothes and had sexual intercourse with the minor once.
Ushe came to the complainant’s house on again on different dates and raped her after threatening to cut off her head. The matter came to light when the girl fell sick and as she sought medical attention it was discovered clear signs of an STI were noticeable. The matter was reported to the police leading to Ushe’s arrest. He was sentenced to 18 years in prison.
The motive behind the crime could not be established. Following the latest ruling on child marriages and abuse of minors, cases of such magnitude are likely to top the list in the country’s courts and human rights and children’s right groups have strongly condemned paedophilic tendencies.
Women and Children’s rights groups are calling for stiffer penalties against perpetrators of such crimes. Local villagers expressed shock at Ushe’s behaviour.

A woman allegedly chopped off her one-year-old daughter’s head with an axe before attempting to commit suicide by stabbing herself with a knife. Keresia Hlabangana, 32, of Sivukwe area in Lupane district, allegedly breastfed her baby before decapitating her on Saturday.
She is under heavy police guard at St Luke’s Hospital in Lupane where she is admitted in the intensive care unit. The motive for the murder is yet to be established.
Hlabangana’s family told The Chronicle that she was acting strangely last Friday when she arrived home from her brother’s burial in Pupu, her home village also in Lupane.
Speaking on behalf of the family, Cornelius Phakathi said Hlabangana locked herself in a hut before axing the baby and stabbing herself.
“It happened around 6PM on Saturday when her husband left her home with their four children. We came back from her brother’s burial on Thursday and she arrived on Friday but her behaviour was weird. We assumed she had been affected by her brother’s death,” said Phakathi.
He went on: “On that day her eldest daughter came running saying her mother was bleeding. We asked her husband, Mlauzi, to rush home and check. That’s when he came face to face with a shocking sight of a lifeless body of the child while the mother was also lying unconscious after stabbing herself in the abdomen near the navel.”
Phakathi said Hlabangana was still holding the okapi knife in her hand while an axe was beside the baby’s body.
He said she axed her from the back of the neck and only a thin layer of skin was left joining the head to the body.
“She breastfed the baby first before locking herself in the bedroom hut after sending all the other children outside saying she wanted to bath. The children returned moments later to find the grisly scene.”
Phakathi said the family was shocked by “untruths” being circulated on social media that his nephew and wife fought resulting in her committing the crime.
Hlabangana’s uncle, Robert Hlabangana, said his niece could have been affected by her elder brother’s death.
“She doesn’t have a history of mental illness and we wonder what could have happened to her,” he said.
The tot was buried on Tuesday after a post-mortem was done at the United Bulawayo Hospitals. Hlabangana’s husband, Patrick Mlauzi, said: “My wife couldn’t say a word and up to today I don’t know what came over her to do that.
“When I got to the hospital, she asked me about the whereabouts of the baby and I lied that she was at home.
“She appeared to have lost her mind as she asked me how she had ended up in hospital and if I had brought her some clothes.”
Mlauzi and Hlabangana married in 2002 and have four children – the eldest being 13-years-old.
Mlauzi said he was concerned about “false” claims circulating on social media that he and his wife were having marital problems and that the family had been visited by tsikamutandas which might have caused her to kill her baby.
He said his wife was once bedridden for six months last year with a heart ailment which could have affected her mentally.

A CONVICTED murderer yesterday caused a stir at the Bulawayo High Court when he stripped naked and turned violent as he attempted to jump out of the dock moments before he was sentenced to life in jail.
Augustine Ncube, 28, one of the two murderers who killed a Mosi-oa-Tunya High School pupil who was picnicking with her boyfriend close to the Victoria Falls Rain Forest before throwing her body into a river, gave six prison officers a torrid time as they wrestled with him for about 10 minutes.
Both defence counsels huddled in a corner in the courtroom in anticipation of danger. The frightened prosecutor, Whisper Mabaudhi and a court orderly bolted out of the courtroom.
Justice Nicholas Mathonsi, who was in the process of delivering his judgment, had to adjourn the proceedings for about 15 minutes.
Police officers manning the High Court building rushed to assist prison officers to subdue Ncube before he was taken to the holding cells. He was sentenced in absentia in terms of the Criminal Code.
Ncube of Pumula North and his accomplice, Nhlanganiso Luphahla, 34, of Old Pumula murdered Praise Mpofu, 16, and threw her body into the Zambezi River. Her boyfriend survived the attack. Ncube and Luphahla also robbed the two lovebirds of a laptop, MP3 player, earphones, a memory card and $11.
Praise, who was doing Form Four at the time of the attack, was in the company of her lover, Brian Dube, 21, who was an Upper Sixth pupil at the same school. Brian was heavily assaulted and left for dead. He sustained a neck fracture and was taken to hospital where he was admitted for five days.
Luphahla and Ncube were each sentenced to life imprisonment for murder and 10 years for robbery.
Luphahla, who was represented by Nontokozo Tachiona, accused Ncube of being the murderer and admitted that he stole the pair’s money and laptop which he later sold.
Ncube through his lawyer, Russell Dzete, claimed that he acted under duress as Luphahla threatened to kill him if he defied his orders.
In his judgment, Justice Mathonsi described the two men as bloodthirsty, senseless and cruel, rogue elements who deserved to be permanently removed from society.
“Luphahla and Ncube gave their defence in a mutually destructive manner and engaging so much in character assassination of each other such that nothing meaningful could be picked from their testimonies. Clearly one can’t escape from such a heinous crime by creating a fictitious story and we’re satisfied that the two acted in common purpose,” he said.
Justice Mathonsi said children have a right to grow up in a free and happy environment.
“This country can’t continue to lose human capital at the hands of senseless and useless people like you. Children deserve their freedom and happiness,” he said.
In passing sentence, Justice Mathonsi said the court had a duty to uphold the sanctity of human life.
“You killed a defenceless young girl and threw her body in the crocodile-infested Zambezi River. It’s the duty of the courts to uphold the sanctity of human life by permanently removing such people from society,” he ruled.
Prosecuting, Mabaudhi, told the court that on July 15, 2015 at Zambezi River, Luphahla and Ncube approached Brian and Praise.
“Ncube allegedly picked a log and struck Brian at the back of his head and force-marched the two lovers into a secluded area along the river. The duo allegedly forced the lovers to undress and assaulted them with a log, leading to Brian losing consciousness,” said Mabaudhi.
Ncube then remained guarding Brian while Luphahla took Praise to a nearby bush and tried to rape her before hitting her again with the same log on the head until she died.
The court heard that Luphahla later dumped the body into the Zambezi River. He then tied Brian’s hands with a laptop cable before stealing money, a laptop, a cellphone and an MP3 player.-State Media

In preparation for the looming drought that might see the whole country face starvation,the government has secured 150 000 tonnes of maize from Zambia and 500 000 tonnes from Ukraine.
Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa, who is chairperson of the Food Security and Nutrition Committee says the government is on top of the things as the hunger and drought situation experienced in Zimbabwe is under control.
Vice President Mnangagwa has revealed the government has secured funding from the Exim Bank of China and has procured more than 650 000 tonnes of maize. He added logistics are underway to transport the maize.
“We are aware of the drought situation and government has moved in to purchase maize from friendly countries. We have secured 150 000 metric tonnes of maize from Zambia and 500 000 tonnes from Ukraine,” said Mnangagwa.
There has been speculation that Zimbabwe might be affected by Zambia’s decision to ban the exportation of maize but Mnangagwa says everything is in place.
The food security and nutrition committee has worked out the quantity the country might need this season to about 1.4 million tonnes for the government to feed the over three million people who need food aid. -State Media

By Terrence Mawawa Masvingo|A prominent Zvishavane motor vehicle mechanic who was caught having sex with a donkey claims the act was a remedy for a ‘deadly’ Sexually Transmitted Infection(STI).
Police records seen by ZimEye.com show Denis Muteyo (44) is on line to appear in court facing bestiality charges.
According to the police report, Muteyo was driving his motor vehicle past Tawona Bottle Store in Zvishavane on January 29 when he spotted four donkeys grazing at night.
He parked his motor vehicle, disembarked and advanced towards one of the donkeys and had sex with it, the report narrates. Police say the donkeys had been left unattended by the owner as he walked away to drink beer.
“Muteyo was caught red handed sex with a donkey around 2300hours when the owner of the donkeys intercepted him. He even tried to bribe the owner,” read the police report.
Muteyo claimed the act was meant to cure a sexually transmitted ailment(HIV) he was suffering from. He further claimed a traditional healer had advised him to have sexual intercourse with the donkey so that he would be immediately cured.
The case has left the local community stunned since Muteyo is a prominent mechanic in the area. Such cases have been on the increase with people getting involved in bizarre rituals.
Meanwhile ZimEye.com can reveal Muteyo has asked for extra time to recover from sickness.

A stripper from Harare shocked revellers at one of the Bulawayo night clubs when she allegedly stripped naked and went straight for one of the male reveller’s private parts.
The woman was quickly whisked away by the police and locked up only to be released after paying a $20 fine the following morning.
According to the Zimbabwe Censorship Board, the rules and regulations governing strip tease are that performers are not allowed to strip beyond the G-string level and physical contact with patrons is prohibited.
Sandra Munetei (22) of Malbereign in Harare learnt the hard way that violating the working conditions of her stripping licence had repercussions when she was arrested after pleasuring a male patron.
A source that was present at the night spot told B-Metro that the stripper almost caused a stampede with men jostling to get their turn with the organ sucking stripper.
“She took everyone by surprise when she completely stripped naked in the closing stages of her performances and as if that was not enough she proceeded to suck the organ of one male patron. This excited other men who started pushing and shoving to get their turn,” said the source.
Moments later the stripper found herself in handcuffs.
When contacted for comment, the stripper claimed she had been forced into going nude and sucking the patron’s organ by the night club DJ who threatened her with non payment if she did not comply with his ‘orders’.
“The DJ told me that the revellers were not happy with my performance so I would not get paid if I did not do something extra ordinary. I was desperate for the money and decided to strip naked. The law does not allow me to remove my panties but he (DJ) begged me to remove just once so as to entice the revellers,” said Munetei.
Bulawayo police spokesperson Inspector Precious Simango confirmed the incident.
“I can confirm that a dancer at a nightclub in the city centre who was stripping was arrested under the Censorship Act.
“We are appealing to club owners not to allow dancers to strip, or to remove any of their clothing because it is an offence to remove a bra or pant. We will arrest club owners,” said Inspector Simango. – State Media

Despite the fact that the government is struggling to raise cash to pay civil servants their bonuses, It has approved the increament of monthly allowances for mayors and councillors by more than 200 percent.

A circular titled “Financial Prudence” sent  to all local authorities by the Ministry of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing, the mayor of Harare will now pocket $1,250 per month, up from $450 while his deputy pockets $840, up from $350.
Harare city committee chairpersons will earn $560 with councillors getting $550 up from $300.
The Mayor of Bulawayo will get $1,000, his deputy $660, committee chairpersons $450 and councillors $400. Mayors of other cities will pocket $840, their deputies $550, committee chairpersons $370 and councillors $350.

Mayors of municipalities will be awarded $600, while their deputies will receive $400. Municipality committee chairpersons will receive $360, councillors $300. Towns and local boards mayors will get $560 and their deputies will earn $350.
Their committee chairpersons will receive $300 while councillors will get $250. Lupane/Chirundu mayors will get $350, deputies $280, committee chairpersons $240 and councillors $200.
The highest paid councillor in all local authorities was pocketing $477 while the lowest took home $80 a month while Members of Parliament take home more than $1,900. – state media

Deadly tribal war hits illegal gold mine 

At least four people are suspected to have died when Ndebele speaking illegal gold miners attacked Shona speaking fellow miners at disused Gealong Gold Mine in Gwanda.
Impeccable sources from the mine who would not be named exclusively revealed to ZimEye.com that the feud between Ndebele and Shona speaking miners has been on going for a while only awaiting a final boiling point.
The sources claim that the Ndebele speaking miners have for long not been happy with the presence of the Shona speakers who they want out of the rich mining area. The local Ndebele miners claim that the Shonas are taking their space and should leave Matabeleland and go and mine in Mashonaland.
The feud finally got to it’s boiling point at the beginning of this month after a group of Shona miners hit a rich gold belt from an area previously rejected by a group of Ndebele miners who had worked in the area for a long time and got very little gold from the area.
After more than two weeks of large returns by the Shonas, the Ndebeles got angry and demanded their counterparts to immediately leave the area, an order which was not accepted. The Ndebele miners left the area on Saturday evening giving the Shona miners 48 hours to leave the area. On their return on Tuesday morning they came back with a reinforced group of over twenty other miners triggering a huge fight between the two groups. Deadly objects like picks, shovels, knives and any other implements used for mining were turned into weapons resulting in a bloody exchange.
The Shonas were overcome by the large contingent as they fled leaving behind at least four of them dead according to sources.
Police in Gwanda expressed ignorance on the matter referring all questions to the police general headquarters in Harare. However a source at Gwanda Provincial Hospital confirmed that a number of badly injured informal miners was received at the hospital. The source could however only confirm one body as having been received from the mine without giving any further details.
At the time of going to press, sources around the mine area reported that there was heavy police presence in the area and at least six people have been seen handcuffed.
ZimEye.com is monitoring developments from the mine as more information is sourced.

The Prosecutor General, Mr Johannes Tomana has filed an application challenging his placement on remand, saying those prosecuting him have no authority to do so.
Tomana, who was back in court for his routine remand, argued through his legal representative that under the constitution of Zimbabwe, the Prosecutor General is the one who gives authority to prosecute.
The state is expected to file its response this Wednesday.
Tomana is facing charges of abuse of office after ordering the release of two people implicated in the attempted bombing of the Gushungo Dairy farm.
Meanwhile, Harare Provincial Magistrate, Vakai Chikwekwe has disregarded a high court order that barred the media from covering the story of the suspect accused of attempting to bomb Gushungo Dairy farm.
The order was granted by High Court judge, Justice Lavender Makoni after the military intelligence officer filed an application seeking the case to be held in camera.
The order was presented by Mr Taurai Mandiki, who is representing Solomon Makunde and Silas Pfupa.
In her ruling, Mr Chikwekwe said the lower court has constitutional rights to independence and any direction from other courts is tantamount to interference and usurping the powers of the magistrate’s court.
The case has been remanded to 1 March.-State Media

READERS’ NOTE – ZimEye.com on Tuesday evening interviewed ZANU PF Women’s League Finance boss, MP Sarah Mahoka, and she appeared factually disconnected from the claims that she is being threatened with death by “Mnangagwa’s assailants”. When raised on the issue of death threats coming from the Mnangagwa camp, she replied, “who said it was the Mnangagwa camp?” In a twist and turn spin when pressured on the claims now in full print, she was quick to cut the phone off saying: “I will call you later. At the time of writing (2)two hours later, she had not (yet) honoured her word”

The above short interview was following a report by the Daily News that quotes Mahoka saying she was being threatened with death by Mnangagwa assailants. The article read:
The Zanu PF war to succeed President Robert Mugabe is getting nastier by the day, amid claims that a hit had been ordered against forthright women’s league secretary for finance, Sarah Mahoka — who recently skinned embattled Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa in Harare.
The straight-talking Mahoka confirmed the claims to the Daily News yesterday, adding that there were also growing reports of Mnangagwa’s followers giving women perceived to be aligned to the Generation 40 (G40) group a torrid time in the provinces.
“Yes, I heard that someone had been sent to kill me and I phoned him. His name is Maburutse, but the guy denied the allegations,” Mahoka said.
She said she had not been intimidated by the claims of the plot to kill her, adding that she is “ready to die for President (Robert) Mugabe and Amai Mugabe”.
“We don’t care even if they send people to kill us. I said it before that they must come out and declare their interests,” Mahoka fumed in a jibe that was widely believed to be directed at Mnangagwa.
“Some of us are prepared to die for President Mugabe and Amai Mugabe. If you go against President Mugabe hazviite zvakanaka, unenge wandibaya panyama nhete (if you fight Mugabe you are also fighting us),” she said.
“God is the one who gives life, so I don’t care if they even consult n’angas handitye munhu ini kunze kwaMwari. Munhu hapana zvaanondiita (I don’t fear anyone including those who consult witch doctors, I only fear God).
“This is a free Zimbabwe and we want to live peacefully. So, this issue of threatening each other must stop now,” she added.
Mahoka also alleged that the ongoing harassment of women in the provinces were a desperate bid by the beleaguered VP’s supporters to stop the women’s league from agitating for the elevation of a woman into the presidium.
The claim comes as the women’s league, supported by the G40, have stepped up their demands for the return of the women’s quota system in the party, which will see Mugabe appointing a woman as one of his two deputies — a move that is said to be targeted at demoting Mnangagwa.
Mahoka said there were growing reports of female district organisers being threatened with unspecified action for pushing for the resolution that was passed at Zanu PF’s conference last December.
“We are being told by some strong Ngwena (Mnangagwa) allies that we must stop our women’s quota system push. I tell you, the Ngwena faction is now out to threaten people but it’s now too late for them,” she said.
The intimidation reports also come after Zanu PF political commissar Saviour Kasukuwere suspended three provincial party chairpersons for alleged disobedience and insolence.
The three suspended bigwigs are Kizito Chivamba (Midlands), Ezra Chadzamira (Masvingo) and Joel Biggie Matiza (Mashonaland East) — all believed to be key allies of Mnangagwa.
“We have suspended Chivamba because he was no longer coming for meetings. Secondly, he blocked members of the women’s league from coming to Harare to welcome the president. He also went to the press making statements that undermine (the party) leadership.
“The same with Matiza in Mashonaland East … He was harassing women there and we have said to him enough. He came for the meeting, but made sure there was pressure on women not to attend that meeting.
“In Masvingo, Ezra Chadzamira had the same problems and we have told him to step aside. We can’t have insolence in the party; such arrogance and disrespect for leadership,” Kasukuwere was quoted saying last week.

By Terrence Mawawa, Masvingo|People’s Democratic Party(PDP) leader Tendai Biti sneaked into the city of Masvingo last Saturday where he told party supporters he will never beg to join to former Vice President Joice Mujuru’s People First.
Biti told party members during a provincial executive meeting held at Target Kopje, Masvingo, he was not desperate to join Mujuru as suggested by some sections of the media.
Biti’s recent comments have once again put a dent on hopes of the much anticipated grand coalition many believe will unseat President Robert Mugabe and Zanu PF.
The former MDC secretary general described the People First as a group of people who are yet to reflect their seriousness to contest in the 2018 polls.
“The People First issue is about a group of people who are yet to make their intentions clear. What we want is to win the battle against Zanu PF and Mugabe. As for the People First let me clearly say we cannot engage individuals,”said Biti.
He also took a swipe at former party members who defected to People First saying they were desperate and confused.
“There are some of our former members who are trying to lure our supporters to People First and they are approaching our structures claiming we are now working with Mujuru -which is not true,” he said.
The people of Zimbabwe are clamouring for the formation of a grand coalition to take on Mugabe in the 2018 polls but the main players expected to spearhead the coaliton are seemingly unwilling to commit themselves towards a unified force.
Two weeks ago People First national spokesperson Rugare Gumbo fired a salvo at MDC president Morgan Tsvangirai saying he did not deserve to lead the coalition.

The High Court has reprimanded the Harare City Council (HCC) for demolishing houses along the Airport Road without first securing a court order.
This followed an application filed by two residents; Jean Pierre Dusabe and John Peter Mutokambali, who were left homeless.
In the application, the residents cited HCC, Local Government minister Saviour Kasukuwere and Lands minister Douglas Mombeshora as respondents.
High Court judge Priscilla Chigumba said that the demolitions were illegal.
“It is a disgrace for two government departments to admit that houses which had been built without the requisite planning authority were demolished and razed to the ground without a court order, without notice in writing being given to all those likely to be affected,” the judge said in a scathing ruling.
“The process was not procedurally fair.”
She said that government departments were not at liberty to unilaterally and arbitrarily demolish any structures in the absence of a court order even if the structures were an eyesore or were without building plans.
“This is a democratic society in which such conduct, especially on the part of government departments whose operations are funded by taxpayers’ money, is not justifiable,” Chigumba said.
The residents told the court that they were left destitute after their homes and property worth several thousands of dollars were destroyed.
Chigumba said the residents, members of Nyikavanhu Housing Cooperative, were not entitled to compensation because the land was illegally sold to them.
She said the problem was caused by the cooperative, which accepted money from the residents against its mandate and permission from the responsible authority to do so.
“The culture of impunity that has pervaded and corroded our government departments should be roundly condemned.
“As a mark of its displeasure at the unlawful conduct of the first and second respondents, a punitive order as to costs will be made against them to discourage such blatant disregard of the law in future,” she said

A self-proclaimed prophet of the Johanne Masowe Apostolic Sect dragged his wife before the Harare Civil Court accusing her of witchcraft.
Norman Senzere alleged that his wife, Esther Charamba, bewitched his first wife and caused her death.
Senzere, who was seeking a protection order against Charamba told magistrate Mrs Marehwanazvo Gofa that she threatened him with death despite divorcing her.
“We divorced, but she is refusing to leave my house after I gave her parents a cow as a divorce token,” he said.
“She caused the death of my first wife after bewitching her. She is a witch and everyone she threatens with death will die.
“She is also threatening my other wife. She harasses her and scolds her using vulgar words. I want her to leave my house and be barred from coming to my workplace because I am no longer a happy man,” Senzere said.
Charamba refuted the allegations. She told the court that it was, in fact, Senzere who was abusing her forcing her to drink concoctions.
“All that he has said are lies,” Charamba said.
“I have never killed anyone nor am I a witch. He is a prophet from Johanne Masowe but he is manufacturing allegations against me.
“He is only trying to get rid of me since I became disabled but he is the one who did not want me to go to the hospital for treatment saying his church does not allow that,” she said.
Mrs Gofa dismissed Senzere’s application citing lack of proof of violence perpetrated against him.-State Media

Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association (ZNLWVA) provincial chairpersons have thrown their weight behind the Christopher Mutsvangwa-led executive.
At a meeting in Harare, the veterans of the liberation struggle from the country’s 10 provinces, called for a special general meeting to deliberate on the recent developments, which saw the booting out of the Mutsvangwa-led executive through a vote of no confidence.
Mutsvangwa was booted out on Friday together with his wife, Monica Mutsvangwa, ZNLWVA Vice Chairman Headman Moyo and Secretary General Victor Matemadanda.
They have since been replaced by Mandi Chimene as Chairperson, George Mafa as Vice Chairman, and Michael Mapfumo as the new Secretary General, on an interim basis.
However, war veterans chairpersons from the country’s 10 provinces are against the move and they argue that the association’s constitution has no provision of a vote of no confidence.
Matemadanda said the disharmony in the association is meant to weaken the obtaining centre of power by creating divisions.
Mutsvangwa added that the special congress dates will be announced in consultations with the patron, President Robert Mugabe.
“At a time when I am under threat from many corners, you have come in full force behind me, you have shamed them,” said Mutsvangwa.
The meeting was attended by national executive members of the association, members of the Zimbabwe Liberation War Collaborators Association and Children of the War Veterans Association.-State Media

A woman from Bulawayo had a breakdown in court while narrating how she was gang raped by three men welding knives. Her emotional state forced the magistrate to postpone the case in which two of the men who allegedly tore open her clothes using a knife before raping her in turns, appeared facing charges of rape and robbery.
The woman was serious injured when one of the suspects, who is on the run, allegedly kicked her on her private parts after she said she was on HIV medication.
Prosecuting, Robin Mukura called the woman as the second State witness after the first witness, a taxi driver, told the court that Dumile Dungeni, 32 and Mlungisi Khumalo, 34, robbed him and the woman of property and gang raped the woman before driving off in his vehicle.
The woman wept uncontrollably as she told the court how the trio robbed and raped her. “I know the two men as our attackers who pounced on me and my friend while we were driving in Cowdray Park. After tying us up with ropes, they drove to a certain spot where one of them dragged me out of the car and used a knife to undress me,” she said and immediately began sobbing.
Senior regional magistrate Tranos Utahwashe adjourned proceedings and the woman was taken for counselling. The session failed to produce results. The woman wept continually and could not continue with her testimony, forcing Utahwashe to postpone the matter to tomorrow.
Dungeni and Khumalo allegedly robbed the taxi driver before taking turns to rape the woman several times.
The third alleged robber did not rape the woman after she claimed that she was on HIV medication. He, however, allegedly kicked her privates and she sustained serious injuries.
“It was last year on August 1 when the woman called her friend who is a registered taxi operator and asked him to take her home at around 8PM. She had some goods and they went home before proceeding to her brother’s place, also in Cowdray Park,” said Mukura.
“On their way back, someone smashed the windscreen from outside with an unknown object. As they tried to figure out what was happening, three men emerged from the darkness and opened the car doors.”
He said the trio slapped and threatened to hit them with machetes, knives and iron bars.
“One of the men jumped onto the driver’s seat and drove while they sat at the back in-between the two men who continued to assault them, forcing them to look down,” Mukura said.
After a while, the men allegedly stopped the car and one of them dragged the woman out of the vehicle and used a knife to cut her leggings and panties. He raped the woman once and force marched her back into the car, the court heard.
“He would stop after a few kilometres, rape her and drag her back into the car. He did this three times,” Mukura said.
The court heard that the other suspect also raped the woman. “The third man failed to rape her as she begged him saying she was on ARVs. He, however, kicked her privates until they were sore,” Mukura said.
“They drove along a dusty road in a bushy area connecting Bulawayo and Nyamandlovu and dropped the pair before driving off.” – State Media

Government through the Ministry of Primary and Secondary education has ordered an immediate introduction of semi military ethics to be observed by all learners throughout the country.
In a circular sent out to all Primary and Secondary Schools in the country last week, the Ministry has orders all learners to daily recite an oath of loyalty to the sitting government.
The oath of loyalty is varied in content between the levels of the school systems. In the oath, children have to swear to respect the country’s president and all the country’s leaders and vow never to disrespect the authorities.
The oath is a duplication of the oath that the infamous ZANU PF youth known as Green Bombers chant every day throughout their training at the Border Gezi training youth training centres.
Over and above the oath of allegiance, learners are now required to march and salute the national flag in military fashion. Whenever the children sing the national anthem, the circular instructs the learners to stand at attention with one hand holding their chest while the other is raised with a clenched fist. The raised clinched fist is ZANU PF’s symbol.
Added to the school curriculum through the same circular is the dictation that schools must teach all learners mass displays as part of their extra curriculum activity. Mass displays are normally an entertainment feature at state and ZANU PF gatherings.
Meanwhile, Primary and Secondary education Minister Lazarus Dokora will tour the country’s ten provinces emphasising the new requirements. On Saturday the Minister kicked off his nationwide tour in Manicaland Province.

Election Resource Centre (ERC) said they are worried by the behaviour of some elected officials who are afraid of meeting their constituencies.
ERC director Tawanda Chimhini made the revelations at the weekend when they were launching a community engagement project titled “Communities in Action”.
Chimhini who was reluctant to mention names of politicians who are snubbing constituency meetings said they are several politicians who are not comfortable with the initiative.
“We have seen leadership that thrives on an ignorant society and some of these politicians have been very uncomfortable, they felt threatened and thought that we are now chasing away their pray,”said Chimhini.
“But this programme is not a witch hunting initiative because it is also assisting elected officials to meet with their constituency’s .So we are giving both the politicians and communities a platform to interface because some of the politicians have been complaining that people are not coming to their meetings”.
The initiative which Chimhini‘s organisation is engaging communities in is aimed at creating citizens as opposed to voters.
“Where we are going is where communities see the vote beyond simply putting an X because is about employing someone to provide a service.
“So once every vote is based on the issues and priorities of the communities then you have an empowered community and this is exactly where we are going,” he said.
 

Youth Advocacy for Reform and Democracy (YARD) Temba Mliswa has accused the First family of practicing witchcraft because of their “strong” belief in the practice.
The firebrand politician was reacting to the arrest and subsequent harassment of one of his members by the police on Saturday when they were having a pre-Valentine’s Day march in the city centre.
Mliswa told the reporters on Monday in Harare that all the frustrations Zimbabweans have were a result of Zanu PF’s continued in fighting at a time they were supposed to be concentrating on the ailing economy.
He said castigated Grace for continuously accusing fellow party members of plotting to kill her husband saying that he believes that the first family performs witchcraft.
“It is pretty clear that the first family believes a lot in witchcraft, they are constantly accusing people in witchcraft, “he said.
“You can accuse people of witchcraft when you also partake in witchcraft that is very clear and we cannot have hypocrisy and a situation when we say we pray then you say Mai Mujuru and her cabal including me allegedly wanted to kill the President.”
The former Zanu PF Mashonaland West provincial chairman said Grace is also a lady of loose morals.
“The last time she spoke about how Mai Mujuru would then go and see the President in a short skirt ,but who worked in the President’s office and ended up being the first lady? , when  the President was married to the late Sally Mugabe,”said Mliswa.
“We are talking about morals and a party that respects morality.
“She has decided to denigrate and humiliate people in public out of morality, Zimbabweans are not stupid and we know who our first lady is and because of being the wife of the President we have given her the respect regales of her background”.
 
 

A TODDLER was burnt beyond recognition while his granny escaped with serious burns after their family home was gutted by fire in Bulawayo’s Nketa suburb. The fire is suspected to have been ignited by the deceased’s four-year-old brother who was playing with matches.
Olwethu Moyo, 2, died on the spot while his brother escaped to safety.
The incident happened on Friday.
Their grandmother, Sithabiso Bhebhe, was rushed to the United Bulawayo Hospitals where she was treated and discharged. She suffered burns on her face and left arm.
The boys’ mother is said to be in South Africa.
The State Media yesterday caught up with Bhebhe who said she tried in vain to rescue the child.
“I was washing plates outside when I suddenly saw flames coming through the window. I tried to dash into the house knowing there were children inside,” said Bhebhe.
She said searing heat from the flames kept her at bay.
Bhebhe said she screamed for help and her neighbours rushed to assist her.
“I heard the baby screaming once in the burning house. As neighbours came to my aid, I thought his four-year-old brother was also inside the house. I tried to ignore the flames and force my way into the house but neighbours restrained me,” she said.
“They called the Fire Brigade but it was already too late. The neighbours tried to extinguish the fire using buckets.”
Bhebhe said she was somewhat relieved when she saw her four-year-old grandson rushing from the backyard as she thought he had also been burnt to death.
Bulawayo Fire Brigade Senior Divisional Officer Linos Phiri urged parents and guardians to keep matches out of reach of children.
He said some fire incidents could be avoided.
“We want to urge parents to make sure they keep matches out of the reach of children. We know children can be very naughty and want to experiment with anything. But we wouldn’t be talking about this if they had kept matches out of their reach,” said Phiri.

Zimbabwe’s MPs are under-utilised, and the public here know more about South Africa’s parliamentary affairs than they do their own country’s, Harare West legislator Jessie Majome writes lamenting, saying there is an urgent government need to rope the public in on the-goings-on in parliament.

On Wednesday 10 February I participated in the Youth and Policy Maker Dialogue which was organised by the Youth Empowerment and Transformation Trust (YETT).
I got a chance to demystify my role as a legisltaor to Harare youths mostly from Chitungwiza. Unfortunately the organisers did not invite Harare Westerners.
At the meeting I spoke on how all political issues and ‘youth issues’ are inseparable and therefore vital that youths understand and participate in parliamentary processes as required by Section 141 of the Constitution.

I shared my view that political patronage has shortchanged people of the real value they can get from parliamentary democracy and instead created an MP who is more of an ATM, funeral policy and bursary than a legislator, government policy overseer and representative. I make no apologies for not consuming my parliamentary tenure with “projects” and rather engage the constituency and work on advocating government policy to the better and more effective in improving lives.
I lamented how MPs we are ill equipped to represent our constituencies as there is no staff or public meeting hall hire finances, or even offices to work from. I have to employ someone from my personal resources and opened my virtual constituency office as a way to interact with Harare Westerners and exhibit my work.
It struck me as sad that only a small and usually distorted and sensational fraction of what happens in Parliament is covered in the media, thence distorting the public’s view about what we do in parliament. Zimbabweans know more about S A parliamentary proceedings than ours and some think we only ask questionscbecause that’s all ZBC covers. I hope that with the advent of social media’s popularity more parliamentary information will be shared freely.
Your MP
Jessie Fungayi Majome

TWO police officers from Masvingo tortured a man to death after he had won a fight against one of them following a row over a fake $5 note. Brian Magama, 34, and Isaac Kachena, whose age was not given in court, severely beat up Luckson Muringani of Chivhiko Village under Chief Sengwe for the whole night at Chibwedziva police base in 2010.
Muringani later died in hospital after sustaining a fractured skull during the prolonged assault. Kachena is on the run.
Supreme Court Judge Justice Susan Mavhangira on Friday heard how the duo used truncheons and kicked and punched Muringani for more than 10 hours.
Justice Mavhangira is back in Masvingo on circuit to clear outstanding High court cases.
Magama had pleaded not guilty to a charge of murder but Justice Mavhangira, sitting with assessors Samuel Mutomba and Joseph Mushuku, convicted him due to overwhelming evidence.
Sentencing him to 16 years in prison for murder with actual intent, Justice Mavhangira said it was clear that Magama and Kachena intended to kill Muringani.
“The fact that you tortured a defenceless person for the whole night brazenly shows your hard heartedness.
“Being a police officer is never a passport for depriving a person of liberty and life. You’re held responsible for tarnishing the image of the police service. You could’ve used the law to bring him before the court in place of torturing him to death,” she said.
Justice Mavhangira said while the court would not lose sight of Magama’ young age when he committed the offence (he was 28-years-old), it had a duty to protect the sanctity of life.
“You committed a serious crime of spilling blood. You deserve a deterrent sentence that will send a clear message to other police officers not to take the law in their own hands.
“There is no law which gives you powers to kill suspects,” she said.
In his defence, Magama, who was represented pro deo by Frank Chirairo, argued that Muringani might have fallen off a moving vehicle days after the assault and possibly smashed his head, leading to his death.
The prosecutor, Elson Chavarika, said sometime in March 2010, Magama and Kachena tortured Muringani to death after accusing him of assaulting Kachena over a counterfeit $5 note.
Muringani died six days after the assault at Chiredzi Hospital.
“Sometime in March 2010, the fugitive, Kachena, had a misunderstanding with Muringani over a fake $5 which degenerated into a fist fight. Muringani emerged victorious. Kachena and Magama decided to take revenge on Muringani several weeks later, on April 17,” said Chavarika.
The court heard that the two police officers approached Muringani and dragged him out of a bottle store where he was relaxing with friends.
“The two force-marched Muringani to Chibwedziva Police Base where they took turns to brutally assault him with truncheons,” said the prosecutor.
“They kicked, punched and slapped him all over his body the whole night until the following morning.”
In the morning, Chavarika said, Muringani fainted and the two revived him by pouring cold water on him. He said the police officers continued beating Muringani after realising he had regained consciousness.
Chavarika said the cops released Muringani when they were about to knock off but he complained of pain and dizziness.
The court heard how family members rushed Muringani to Chibwedziva Clinic.
Due to his deteriorating condition, the nurses at the clinic referred him to Chiredzi Hospital where he was attended by a doctor on April 20 and discharged the same day.
“Muringani was discharged and went home but his condition didn’t improve after which he was taken back to Chiredzi Hospital where he died on admission,” Chavarika said.
A post-mortem report produced in court showed that he died from a fractured skull sustained during the torture.

By Terrence Mawawa  Chivi| A self proclaimed  prophet here ordered five men to dig a grave last week claiming he had been shown a vision of a lot of cash stashed behind human bones.
In an incident that has left the local villagers stunned, Mavhuma Farai Madzivire and his four friends were instructed by a local prophet to go and exhume the bones to extract cash from the grave. Madzivire was accompanied by Claudius Mafudza, Tazviona Hove, Edward Siziba and Innocent Mpofu.
Masvingo Provincial Police spokesperson Inspector Charity Mazula confirmed the incident to ZimEye.com.
The five are being charged with the violation of a grave .
After being instructed by the prophet, Madzivire and his four friends went to the graveyard in Madyira Village and began to dig one of the graves belonging to Madzivire’s grandfather. The prophet told him he had seen in a vision a lot of money stashed in the grave.
Two villagers caught the man digging the grave and alerted other villagers leading to the arrest of the five men who were taken to Ngundu Police Station.
Due to the current economic challenges many people are flocking to prophets and spiritists seeking divine assistance and some have been forced to do sinister things in a desperate bid to amass wealth.
The prophet has since disappeared from Madyira village following the tension sparked by the incident.
Although the prophet’s name could not be established, it is understood he is a member of the Johane Masowe Apostolic sect.
Self proclaimed prophets have also been widely criticised for diverting the essence of the gospel all for their gain in the wake of the current socio-economic challenges.

A man and his 30-year old wife have appeared in court after the husband allegedly raped a four-year-old relative backed by the wife who stood by him during the attack.
The 4 year old baby has been found with an STI.
The woman stood guard as her Botswana-based husband raped the child, the court heard.
The woman and her husband appeared before Harare magistrate Mr Tendai Mahwe last week facing rape charges.
They were remanded in custody to February 24.
Mr Mahwe advised the couple to seek bail at the High Court.
The woman lives in Esigodini.
Prosecutor Mr Sebastian Mutizirwa told the court that the offence was unearthed by the victim’s grandmother after she noticed that the girl’s genitals were bruised.
The girl was also discharging yellow fluids.
The victim opened up on the assault upon interrogation.
The matter was reported to the police.
A medical report confirmed the assault.-State Media