A soldier, McDonald Gava has axed his wife to death before setting his two-roomed house on fire.
The bodies of Gava and his wife were found burnt in the house. Relatives and neighbours say Gava and his wife Patricia had a rocky marriage and were always trading accusations of infidelity.
“The last time I spoke to my uncle he told me they were having marital problems but I never thought he could take such gruesome action,” said Gava’s nephew.
The police were at the scene of the crime and are conducting investigations. Domestic violence continues to be a thorn in the flesh of Zimbabwean society despite spirited efforts and campaigns to bring it to an end.-State Media

Frustrated Southlea Park residents have taken Zanu PF central committee member Philip Chiyangwa to court seeking for an order to block him from extorting them cash amounting to over $42 million for settling at the government owned Odar farm.
Chiyangwa last year in September shocked Southlea Park residents when he from nowhere claimed that he owns Oder farm which was in 2006 seized from former white commercial farmers by the state for urban development.
The controversial politician in December threatened to evict over  8000 residents residing at the farm  if they fail to pay him $4500 per house hold as compensation.
In an  application which was filed by Southlea Park Home Owners Association to the  High Court through Mudanhi, Mugadza and company attorneys this week the residents said Chiyangwa had no right to demand compensation for the government farm.
“The purpose of this application is to seek for an order to set aside the transfer of the remainder of the farm-Odar to Sensene investments (Chiyangwa’s company) which land vested in the hands of the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe after being duly acquired in terms of the Land Acquisition Act as the transfer was unfair, unreasonable and thus unlawful,”reads part of the application.
The farm was acquired by the government on June 16 2006 under deed of transfer 816/65 under government’s Garikai /Hlalani Kuhle programme.
The government in 2006, through the Ministry of Local Government, entered into an agreement with Odar for the consortium to establish a housing project and the arrangement was that government would compensate the previous farm owner, ZTA, for the improvements made on the farm and then receive its money back within 90 days from the consortium’s beneficiaries.
But despite the existence of these affirmations and the availability of an agreement between the government and Odar Farm, the government entered into another agreement with Zanu PF central committee member Chiyangwa on April 9 2015 to give the farm to Sensene Pvt Ltd, a company owned by Chiyangwa.
 

A Gokwe family allegedly dumped the body of their relative at a neighbour’s homestead on Wednesday demanding 20 head of cattle before burial after a Boxing Day land boundary dispute turned fatal.
The body of Francis Mutsakirwa, 37, of Mutsakirwa Village, Headman Mashame under Chief Chireya in Gokwe North, was only buried yesterday after the family of the murder suspect, Edson Sibanda, 47, parted with 10 beasts and a goat, with promises to deliver the remaining cattle later.
Midlands provincial police spokesperson Inspector Joel Goko confirmed Mutsakirwa’s death on December 26 after he was struck by Sibanda. He could not immediately comment on the compensation issue.
“I confirm the death of Francis Mutsakirwa on December 26. A villager Edson Sibanda has since been arrested in connection with his murder,” he said.
However, the victim’s neighbours told The Chronicle that on the fateful day, Mutsakirwa and Sibanda were in their fields when an argument over the boundary arose.
“In the heat of the moment, Sibanda struck Mutsakirwa on the forehead and he collapsed”.
They ferried him to Mashame clinic where his condition deteriorated before he was transferred to Nembudziya clinic where he was pronounced dead,” said Tinotenda Marange, a neighbour of Mutsakirwa.
He said Mutsakirwa’s body was taken for a post-mortem and was only brought back on January 13. Marange said Mutsakirwa’s relatives took his body and dumped it at Sibanda’s homestead demanding 20 head of cattle as compensation for the loss of their son.
He said after dumping their relative’s body on January 13, Mutsakirwa’s family returned to their homestead. “Because of the hot temperatures, Mutsakirwa’s body quickly decomposed forcing the Sibandas to desert their homestead. They then went to headman Mashame to report the matter,” he said.
The Chronicle learnt that Mutsakirwa’s body stayed at the Sibanda homestead for 24 hours as both parties failed to reach consensus.
Marange said the police were called in but nothing materialised as the Mutsakirwa’s were adamant that they were only going to bury their relative after they were compensated.
He said yesterday, after the intervention of the police and traditional leaders in the village, the Sibandas released 10 head of cattle and a goat to facilitate the burial. “So the 10 head of cattle were in front while the scotch cart with Mutsakirwa’s body was following behind. He was finally buried,” said Marange.
Insp Goko appealed to members of the community to desist from engaging in unnecessary fights which he said were leading to loss of lives. He said church elders, the police, and community leaders should be approached in case of misunderstandings to save life. State /Agencies

Former Education minister and Mashonaland East headman, Aeneas Chigwedere is today expected to appear at the Harare Civil Court to answer to witchcraft charges levelled against him by his son, Magwiza.
Magwiza last year approached the courts, accusing his father of practising witchcraft, claiming he had goblins that were terrorising family members.
Chigwedere is being sued together with his wife, Emilia Zharare, a stepmother to Magwiza. According to court papers, Magwiza wants the Zimbabwe National Traditional Healers’ Association to destroy the goblins and cited the association as a third respondent in the case.
But Chigwedere, in opposing affidavit filed by his lawyer Tendai Masawi, denied the accusations and dismissed Magwiza as a mental patient who needed psychiatric help.
Chigwedere said the matter was frivolous and a waste of the court’s time.
Magwiza, in his application, accused his father’s alleged goblins of causing the death of a number of family members and causing women in the family not to get married or fail to conceive.

By Terrence Mawawa, Masvingo| Thousands of dollars from school fee funds have disappeared in the hands of the Hillside Government School headmaster enflaming the entire Masvingo community into a rage.
 
The development yesterday saw hoardes of ZRP cops siding with the alleged perpetrator and head-teacher (name supplied) as riot police stormed in, assaulting both protester and journalist.
 
Overzealous police details yesterday pounced on suspecting journalists here and confiscated cameras before detaining the scribes for several hours.
 
The journalists were covering a parents demonstration at Hillside Government School when the police suddenly pounced on the reporters and grabbed their cameras forcing them to delete the photographs they were taking. The parents were demonstrating against the squandering of funds by the school administration .
 
Three local journalists Golden Maunganidze,TellZimbabwe editor Passmore Kuzipa and Mirror reporter Sydney Mubaiwa had their cameras confiscated and they were detained for several hours at Chikato Police station where they were later released.
 
“We were covering a parents demonstration at the government school when police details surrounded us and took our cameras. They did not even ask for press cards and our bid to explain ourselves fell on deaf ears. We were subjected to emotional torture and intimidation. We were detained at Chikato Police Station for several hours,” said one of the journalists.
 
The police also reportedly ordered the journalists not to report anything on both the demonstration and the arrest.
 
The police in Zimbabwe have hogged the limelight for the wrong reasons and local journalists have roundly condemned the barbaric behaviour of the police officers who tormented the innocent scribes.

Three pupils from Chinehasha Secondary School in Chiweshe communal lands have drowned while two others were rescued after a canoe they were using to cross Ruya dam capsized this Thursday morning.
A sombre atmosphere engulfed Chinehasha Village in Chiweshe following the drowning of the three on their way to school.
According to eyewitnesses the disaster occurred around 7 in the morning when the five students from Matepatepa area in Bindura district were canoeing to the school which is across Ruya dam in Chiweshe communal lands.
The deceased have been identified has Adelaide Hwengwa a Form 1 pupil, David Kaviya who is in Form 2 and Rutendo Chikondori who was in Form 4.
Survivors Gelisha Mupandira (15) and Rangarirai Kabunze (16) recounted how the tragedy occurred while relatives of the deceased were at pains to explain their loss.
Mr Felix Murisa, who witnessed the incident and helped rescue the duo, attributed the incident to overloading and strong winds that hit the area in the morning.
The gathered crowd managed to retrieve one of the deceased’s body after it was found floating in the dam.State Media

ZRP Cops were left with eggs on their faces after they were defeated by protesters today.
In what showed to be an open shaming of the law enforcement agents, the Lawyers for Human Rights organisation successfully led seven protesters out of police claws in Bulawayo’s Mpopoma high density suburb, this afternoon.
The police failing to do their draconian profiling work, released seven residents they had picked up for allegedly staging a protest against the increase in the number of minors who are being sexually abused.STORY CONTINUES BELOW
The residents were demonstrating against continued attacks on children after a teenager was sexually abused by a man said to be in his 60s.
The residents were reportedly peeved that the accused person had been granted bail at the Western Commonage Magistrates Court.
Lizwe Jamela of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights who reacted to offer emergency legal services says the seven residents were released by police officers without being charged for committing any offence after they successfully resisted profiling by the police.

By Terrence Mawawa, Harare| Government “has squandered $50 million on brand new vehicles for top shefs while teachers wallow in poverty” with no bonuses and under the burden of delayed salaries. The Zimbabwe Teachers Association(ZIMTA) will tomorrow Friday stage countrywide protests against the government’s failure to pay teachers’ bonuses.
In a circular to its members dated January 10 2016 ZIMTA said the demonstration was a result of government’s lack of commitment towards paying civil servants’ bonuses.
The government has been dithering on the payment of bonuses forcing many civil servants to resort to moneylenders to get loans thereby accruing huge debts.
“As previously directed the expression of the bonus saga will be made by the association and will be organised as follows-Participation:A total of up to 500 participants must attend this march and be drawn from from the following ranks-National members and or at least 15 members of the provincial executive … Provinces are requested to transport their participants to arrive on time for the march on 15 January at least an hour before the commencement of the march,”reads part of the letter.
The broke government is likely to face more job actions with all civil servants sectors unhappy with the non-payment of bonuses.
The protests will be staged in and out of Harare as well as across the association’s provincial centres as teachers press government to address the non-payment of bonuses.
Finance Minister Patrick Chinamasa is under pressure to resolve the matter and the government has been making empty promises to that effect since last year.
The demonstration is likely to attract mass attendances with teachers across the country increasingly agitated by the failure to get bonuses.

Tragedy has hit a UK Zimbabwean family as their father Mr Caiphas Kadzutu (87) was sadly hit by pneumonia soon after jetting into the country from Zimbabwe.
 
Mr Kadzutu who had travelled to Britain for his only son’s graduation, is no more and his body now stranded in the UK.

Local government Minister Saviour Kasukuwere says government is “probing” Southlea Park land ownership with the aim of establishing the real owner of Odar farm which Zanu PF central committee member Phillip Chiyangwa is demanding over $45 million in compensation from 8000 residents.
Chiyangwa who has since given the residents 14 day notices to either pay him $5000 per house hold or risk eviction, on 2 January influenced the police to block them (residents) from holding a meeting on which they wanted to deliberate on the eviction threats.
The residents who are resisting compensating Chiyangwa are contemplating to take the case to the High court seeking for clarity over the land ownership.
Responding to questions raised by reporters on who owes the farm which Chiyangwa is claiming to be his Kasukuwere dodged the question saying government was handling the issue.
“This is an issue which is receiving attention from the state in terms of the actual ownership and I think we will not want to comment now because it is a matter that we are looking at and certainly we are aware that Southlea Park deserves our attention and that is what we are going to be doing,”said Kasukuwere.
Chiyangwa controversially took over the land which was being   superintended by Odar Housing Development Project a consortium of 56 companies in September last year.
The controversial Odar Farm was acquired by the government on June 16 2006 under deed of transfer 816/65 under government’s Garikai /Hlalani Kuhle programme.
 

Humiliating medical evidence hit Zanu-PF Bikita West legislator Munyaradzi Kereke yesterday in the case in which he is accused or raping two minors.
The development saw Kereke’s lawyer attacking the private prosecutor, Charles Warara of tampering by adding an extra (medical) document into the court files, but the magistrate ruled that Kereke’s defence had already consented.
Kereke is facing charges of raping a 13-year-old girl in 2010 and indecently assaulting her sister, aged 15 at the time.
Kereke, who is represented by his lawyers Mr James Makiya and Mr Nathaniel Chigoro, asked the court to expunge from the court record a medical report of one of the girls.
“We apply for the document to be expunged on the basis that it was never requested by the police,” said Mr Makiya.
“The complainant self initiated a voluntary visit to Harare Central Hospital and that visit is not related to the present case.
“We noted the document was not among documents handed to the Prosecutor-General. It is an alien paper slipped in court records by the private prosecutor.”
Mr Makiya said he sought a court order to access call history of the two complainant’s Econet and Telecel mobile phones for the year 2010.
In response, Mr Warara said the two applications were destructive and an attempt to carry out investigations while the trial is in progress.
“A private prosecutor does not direct operation of the police neither can the police direct the work of a private prosecutor,” said Mr Warara.
“Counsel fell short seriously on their submissions. The police and Prosecutor-General’s Office were inactive not withstanding the conviction that the case was a prima facie against the accused.
“We never recovered the original documents from the Prosecutor-General’s Office. Why is it proper for the police and Prosecutor-General who assisted the accused not to be brought to justice to be the basis of the application? The defence consented for the medical report to be produced in court.”
In his ruling, magistrate Mr Noel Mupeiwa reiterated that the defence lawyers consented.
“It is the decision of the court at the close of the case if the document implicates the accused. However, the accused should be allowed access to the call history to fully defend himself,” he said.
Mr Warara intended to tender another medical affidavit for the second girl, but Mr Makiya objected saying the examining doctor was off duty on that day.
The trial continued in camera because the second witness is still a minor. Mr Warara alleged that sometime in March 2010, Kereke was alone with the girl.
He grabbed the girl by the waist and pushed her onto the couch before fondling her breasts.
She allegedly screamed, but no one heard her. On August 22, 2010, the younger girl was allegedly asked to baby sit by Kereke’s wife.
When the baby fell asleep the girl sat on the couch in the bedroom and Kereke allegedly started fondling her.
He allegedly pointed a gun at the girl and threatened to shoot her if she did not comply with his orders. He then raped her once.
Both girls later narrated their alleged ordeal to one of their aunts. -State Media/Additional Reporting.

Some government employees who are yet to receive their 2015 bonus have expressed dismay in the manner the government has reneged on the 13th cheque payment initially slated for November 2015 and pushed to January this year.
It still remains unclear if all civil servants will get their bonuses that were promised by President Robert Mugabe after Finance Minister Patrick Chinamasa announced that the government was too broke to pay 13th cheques last year.
The Zimbabwe government announced recently that it will stagger bonus payments due to its tight fiscal space caused by a non-performing economy.
This has infuriated state workers who say they should have been paid their bonuses last year.
A Mutare-based teacher, Pardon Mazhambe, said he is unhappy with what the government is doing though indications are that it is almost broke.
Mazhambe said he is now heavily indebted and cannot meet his financial obligations due to the non-payment of his bonus.
“I have so many accounts that need to be settled and my only hope of doing so is through the bonus that still remains outstanding up to now.”
He added that 2016 started on a low note and indications are that this will continue, forcing workers to live from hand to mouth.
Another government employee, who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals as he has no authority to speak to the media without official clearance, said it is highly unlikely that the state will pay workers the promised bonuses.
Some government employees have been shying away from openly discussing the outstanding bonuses as it has suddenly become a hot issue following the arrest of 20 policemen in Bindura district, who created a WhatsApp chat in which they were discussing the non-payment of 13th cheques.
First were journalists, who were sucked into the controversy when it was reported in a local daily newspaper that the government had allegedly secretly paid bonuses of operatives of its spy agency, the Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO).
Newsday deputy editor, Nqaba Matshazi, journalist Xolisani Ncube, and Sifikile Thabethe, a representative of their company, Alpha Media Holdings, are facing charges of allegedly writing falsehoods.
This is scaring a lot of government workers though some of them are adamant that they are entitled to the bonuses even if the government’s coffers are in bad shape.
State employee, Charles Garwe, said though most workers doubt that the government will pay the bonuses, they believe that 13th cheques normally boost the morale of workers and their disposable income.
“We would appreciate if the bonus is paid as promised as it has put us in the deep end. We had made so many plans around the money and failure to pay is very suicidal to many of us.”
The situation is not the same with some workers in the non-profit making business, whose contracts do not include any bonus payment.
Louis Kahari, who works for a local non-governmental organization, said his three-year contract does not have any bonus provision since they don’t make any profit.
“We had not been promised any bonus and therefore we had not made any plans on it and its life as usual for some of us in the NGO sector, but I am sorry for my colleagues in government who anticipated it.”
The non-payment of civil servants’ bonuses has suddenly become very political and in the same vein disrupted plans of most government employees, including other downstream beneficiaries of the 13th cheque. – VOA

Special Message to Fidelis Fengu
By R.G Mabhaudi
On the 7th of January a few years ago , God blessed a young baby Fidelis Fengu with the gift of life. Last week Thursday being the 7th of January a few years later Fidelis Fengu celebrates yet another year that he has seen by God’s grace.
The story of Fidelis Fengu is a story known to many, he has been a controversial figure and one of the most talked about personalities on social media. To us in the disability movement Fidelis Fengu has been a crucial team player. He has worked well with others in ensuring that young people with disabilities have a voice that is loud and clear in the corridors of power.
While Fidelis Fengu may have been or allegedly been involved in some scandalous activities, we condemn any acts of dishonesty and while we understand that the economic situation in Zimbabwe is tough and might push other young people to engage in unsavory behaviour, we urge the young people of Zimbabwe to remain principled and to seek the Lord first even in these harsh economic times.
Dishonest gains, corruption and other acts of little integrity will ruin our nation and our future. We are glad that our brother and comrade Fidelis Fengu has since confessed his sins and repented. Others may still want to crucify him but we stand with him and forgive him of his wrongs just like Jesus urged us to forgive. Encouraging him to never conform to this world but to put on his new self and stand as a light for others.
It takes a humble and a strong character to accept your guilt, confess and seek forgiveness and I applaud Cde Fengu. This week as you celebrate your birthday we cherish your support and fight towards the empowerment of young people with disabilities.
In my capacity as Chairman of both the Special Youth Advisory Board on Empowerment and the Steering Committee on Disability under the Office of the President and Cabinet’s Disability desk I wish you a happy birthday, and urge you to continue growing in wisdom and integrity that other young people may be inspired by your story.
Yours Truly
Cde. R. G. Mabhaudhi
Chairman
Steering Committee on Disability under the Office of the President and Cabinet’s Disability Desk.
Special Youth Advisory Board on Empowerment and also Former Special Interest Councillor representing Persons with Disabilities in Harare

A Bulawayo woman yesterday withdrew rape charges against her cousin’s 26-year-old boyfriend saying she had forgiven him after meeting his family.
The 23-year-old woman told Provincial Magistrate Abednico Ndebele that she had spoken to the accused, Nkosikhona Dlodlo’s family and decided to forgive him.
Dlodlo who is a boyfriend to the complainant’s cousin, his friends, the complainant, the cousin and a friend met on Christmas Eve and went to a party and later slept at Dlodlo’s place. The following morning, the woman woke up and discovered that she had been raped.
She reported the matter to the police and Dlodlo was arrested but she decided to forgive him after meeting his family. She did not reveal her conversation with Dlodlo’s family. “I spoke to his family and I’ve decided to forgive him,” said the woman.
Dlodlo told the court that if the case had proceeded to trial, he was going to deny the charges. “We were both drunk on the day of the alleged incident. We started fondling and caressing each other and one thing led to the next,” said Dlodlo.
Ndebele said Dlodlo was free after the woman withdrew the case. Prosecuting, Mufaro Mageza narrated the events that took place leading to Dlodlo’s arrest. He said on December 24, 2015, Dlodlo who was in the company of his friends met the woman who was in the company of her cousin and a friend.
They then went to a party as a group.
“After the the party they proceeded to Esibayeni, a drinking spot in Mpopoma where they didn’t spend much time and went to the city centre. There they bought meat and beer, and they all went to Dlodlo’s house,” said Mageza.
“When they got to the house the three ladies went to a bedroom and locked themselves in. Dlodlo and his friends then asked the women to open the door and join them, which they did.” The prosecutor said Dlodlo then invited the three women to drink some beer in the kitchen.
“The complainant’s cousin and the friend declined saying that they should call them when the meat was ready and went back to the bedroom leaving the complainant with Dlodlo in the kitchen,” said Mageza.
The prosecutor said on December 25, at around 6AM her cousin together with their friend woke up and discovered the complainant was not in the same bedroom with them.
“They woke up and looked for her and found her in a drunken state and they also discovered that her pair of jean trousers was pulled to the ankle but she was wearing her pant and blouse and Dlodlo wasn’t in the room,” said Mageza.
“Dlodlo came into the room and he helped them dress the complainant who was still asleep. When asked what transpired, Dlodlo said that he had removed the complainant’s pair of jeans after she said she was feeling hot,” said the prosecutor.
Mageza said after waking up, the woman felt some pain and discomfort in her private parts.
“After waking up the complainant felt pain and discovered that there was some fluid on her pant which she didn’t understand. She asked Dlodlo what had happened to her but he couldn’t give a satisfactory answer. She then reported the matter to the police leading to Dlodlo’s arrest,” said Mageza.State Media

A 28-YEAR-OLD man from Matopo in Matobo District has been arrested for fatally assaulting a fellow villager who had stabbed him twice with an okapi knife.
Isaac Tshuma allegedly overpowered Mduduzi Sibanda and struck him several times using a log, leaving him unconscious.
Sibanda was rushed to the United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH) after he was found three hours later by a passer-by who informed other villagers.
He was pronounced dead on admission.
The incident is said to have occurred last Friday at about 3AM.
Matabeleland South acting police spokesperson Assistant Inspector Nkosilathi Sibanda said Tshuma is in custody and is expected to appear in court soon facing murder charges.
“We arrested a man who is accused of assaulting another villager with a log leaving him unconscious. The assaulted man was pronounced dead upon arrival at UBH. He is facing murder charges and assisting police with investigations,” said Asst Insp Sibanda.
“The accused was coming from Ntunjambili shops and he caught up with Sibanda and a misunderstanding ensued. Sibanda is said to have picked a stone and hit Tshuma on the forehead before stabbing him twice using an okapi knife. He was however, overpowered by the accused who grabbed a log and assaulted him until he fell unconscious.”
Asst Insp Sibanda said Tshuma left him for dead before proceeding to his home.
He said Sibanda was found at about 6AM by a villager who informed others about the incident.
“Sibanda was rushed to UBH where he died on admission. Tshuma was arrested the following day and is in police custody,” he said.State Media

The Victoria Falls Magistrate Court has exonerated Gokwe-Nembudziya National Assembly member, Justice Mayor Wadyajena, who was being accused of criminally insulting the First Lady, Grace Mugabe.
This follows an application by Wadyajena`s lawyer, Givemore Muvhiringi which sought to have the legislator removed from remand on the basis that the charge was unconstitutional.
Victoria Falls magistrate, Ms Lindiwe Maphosa acceded to the defence’s argument that the criminal insult was unconstitutional and eventually placed the legislator off remand.
However, the court dismissed the application on the alternative charge of disorderly behaviour, stated under Section 41 of the Criminal Law Codification and Reform Act.
The accused will then be required to go on trial on the 1st of February.
The defence counsel will study the judgement and make a decision by the trial date with the possibility of submitting an application to have the matter referred to the Constitutional Court.
“True, we are going to take time to study the judgement because it has just been delivered and then will take the instructions from my application with a possibility that we might refer the constitutionality of Section 41 to the Constitutional Court because we have a feeling that it should suffer the same fate as Section 95. So we still have to make a decision as to what we are going to do come the 1st of February,” said Muvhiringi.
Wadyajena (35) was arrested in Victoria Falls soon after the 15th Zanu PF Annual National People’s Conference in December, for allegedly denigrating Dr Mugabe.State Media

Heal Zimbabwe Trust  has approached the Constitutional Court seeking for an order to Justice Minister Emmerson Mnangagwa to urgently establish an Independent Mechanism to deal with complaints against the Police and other Security Services as required by the constitution.
Section 210 of the Constitution provides for the establishment of an effective and independent reporting mechanism for receiving and investigating complaints from members of the public about misconduct on the part of members of the security services, that is, the Police Service, the Defence Forces, the State intelligence services and the Prisons and Correctional Service, and for remedying any harm caused by such misconduct.
Heal Zimbabwe Trust director Rashid Mahiya argues that  government has done nothing “so far” almost two and a half years after the constitution came into force to set up this mechanism hence the Con Court appeal.
“This is a public interest matter and we urge  everyone who is concerned about the conduct of the police and other security service personnel and the use of violence in the curtailment of civil liberties, especially the right of  to demonstrate and to express views freely, to attend the court hearing,” said Mahiya.
He said the case has also been made more urgent by the increasing numbers of public demonstrations such as the recent disrupted teachers’ demo in Harare and the Chitungwiza –Harare commuter operators and police riots.
“Anyone who has seen pictures in the press of police officers apparently beating teachers and commuter omnibus drivers will realise how necessary such a complaints mechanism is,” he said.
“It will also help the police to fulfill their constitutional mandate while respecting the citizens of Zimbabwe”.

While Doctors and nurses remained unpaid their salaries at Christmas time, President Robert Mugabe and his top brass — including Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa and several Cabinet ministers — took time off to spend lavishly and make merry in various resorts in Africa and the Far East over the just-ended festive season as the economy continued to sneeze.
As per his tradition, Mugabe and his family travelled to the Far East last month for the President’s annual recess.
According to pictures circulating on social media platforms, the First Family was last week joined by Mnangagwa and his wife Auxillia in some resort place believed to be in the Far East.

By Terrence Mawawa Masvingo|Two Zanu PF councillors here have deserted the ruling party to join Joice Mujuru’s People First in a move that has stunned the party’s provincial leadership.
Although Zanu PF provincial chairman Ezra Chadzamira claimed the two councillors were fired from the party, ZimEye.com has been reliably informed Rosiwita Chinyaure ward 12 Masvingo Rural District Council and Chikotomere, ward 6 Bikita, left the troubled ruling party to join Mujuru in December.
Chadzamira angrily claimed the two were fired for gross misconduct and he hurriedly wrote a letter of dismissal to Chinyaure and verbally announced Chikotomere’s ouster.
Cracks have continued to widen in the ruling party as disgruntled elements continue to express their displeasure in the provincial executive led by Chadzamira who is a confirmed Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa apologist.
“Councillor Chinyaure has been excluded from the list of our councillors with immediate effect,”said Chadzamira.
However Zanu PF Bikita boss,Peter Chibi, contradicted Chadzamira’s utterances claiming Chikotore was still a councillor.
According to party insiders the two were spotted at a People First meeting in December and they left Zanu PF before Chadzamira made the announcement.
The Zanu PF provincial boss is reportedly attempting to pour cold water on the defection of the two councillors despite widening cracks in the troubled revolutionary party.
In his letter dated 17 December 2015 Chadzamira wrote:”This letter serves to advise that Clr Rosiwita Chinyaure of ward 12 Masvingo has ceased to represents of Zanu PF and its people .”

The landmark trial of Bikita West Member of Parliament, Munyaradzi Kereke, opened in the Harare Magistrates Courts on Monday with the legislator denying two charges of indecent assault and rape.
He denied the charges when he appeared before magistrate Noel Mupeiwa. Prosecutors allege that sometime in March 2010 he fondled the breasts of his niece who was 15 and also raped the girl’s younger sister aged 11 three months later.
The incidents allegedly happened at Kereke’s home in Mt. Pleasant, Harare. This becomes the first high profile private prosecution case in the history of the country.
The private prosecution of Kereke was made possible after the constitutional court slapped prosecutor general Johannes Tomana with a wholly suspended 30-day sentence on condition that he issues certificates for private prosecution.
Tomana had defied rulings of the high court and the supreme court compelling him to issue the certificates. Kereke was represented by his lawyers, James Makiya and Nathaniel Chigoro.
Charles Warara is the private prosecutor. Kereke argued that the complainants took too long to report because they were being used by politicians to craft a case against him.
However, when the girl was led by Warara and cross-examined by Makiya, she told the court that she is not related to any politician, nor does she know one, adding that she doesn’t even understand politics.
The trial continues Tuesday and seven more witnesses will testify against the legislator.
Law professor and leader of the opposition National Constitutional Party Lovemore Madhuku told VOA Studio 7 the trial is a significant chapter in the country’s legal history. Madhuku also said he has it on good authority that the state will amend the law to close “loopholes” used by Warara.
Interview With Professor Lovemore Madhuku (2:00)
Direct link (943.5kB)
Last year, permanent Secretary in the ministry of information George Charamba said government is studying the Constitutional Court judgment compelling Prosecutor­ General to issue certificates of private prosecution with a view to addressing contradictions in the Constitution over the power and the rights it gives to individuals and State institutions.
Charamba is quoted in the state controlled Herald newspaper as saying; the matter was beyond Mr Tomana and his office and the Constitutional Court. “The matter before us is much more complicated than has been framed in the media,” he said. “It goes beyond parameters of institutions in question and it certainly goes beyond behaviors of persons involved. There are fundamental principles that are at stake and the remedies may go beyond actions by the conflicting institutions.”- VOA

Prophetic Healing and Deliverance Ministries led by Prophet Walter Magaya has admitted to unlawfully encroaching onto a neighbour’s property popularly known as “Rocks Lodge” next to its Waterfalls chapel in Harare without the consent of the legitimate owners.
The church is now offering to purchase the land to avoid eviction from part of Number 8 Prospect in Waterfalls.
The admission was made in a bid to seek an out of court settlement and to avoid eviction from stand where PHD Ministries is carrying out construction work.
A fortnight ago PHD Ministries was sued at the High Court for ‘invading’ and encroaching onto the property owned by Panabase Consultancy (Private) Limited at Number 8 Prospect in Harare.
This followed an unsuccessful attempt by PHD Ministries to purchase the two-hectare property for $235 000, a price that was turned down by Panabase as too little.
Despite a disagreement over the price, PHD ‘invaded’ the property and allegedly destroyed some structures they had found on the land.
Panabase, through its director and Harare lawyer Mr Shingai Mutumbwa, viewed PHD’s actions as unlawful and a way of arm-twisting the company into selling the property at an unreasonably low price.
To that end, Panabase filed an urgent chamber application at the High Court seeking the eviction of the church, Prophet Magaya, employees and their guests from the property.
More to follow . . . -State Media

Harare city council says it is going to dispossess land from land barons  as a way of protecting the public from being fleeced of their hard earned cash.
There is a proliferation of shanty settlements in Harare emanating from land barons who are selling pieces of land to desperate home seekers on illegal sites.
Most of these housing cooperatives are controlled by the so called former liberation war fighters who give names of late prominent nationalists to these housing cooperatives.
As a result of the illegality of the settlements Harare city council has over the past two years been demolishing these structures leaving thousands in the open.
Harare city council spokesperson Michael Chideme said this year they are reclaiming  their mandate of issuing out stands.
“For the past twenty years we have not been servicing land but now we have realised that to feel the gap that has been created we are going to service land beginning this year and we have also realised that people were being cheated their money by unscrupulous management committees of housing cooperatives,” said Chideme .
“People have been paying money for the past ten years, fifteen years but with no meaningful development on the ground”.
Chideme said Harare city council is not going back on demolishing illegal structures.
“Demolitions are an action of last resort after being civil through giving people some warnings,”he said.

Embattled Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa is apparently taking serious strain from the post-congress Zanu PF’s worsening and seemingly-unstoppable factional and succession wars.
Well-placed sources claimed in briefings with the Daily News yesterday that the Midlands godfather was increasingly feeling marginalised from President Robert Mugabe’s inner circle.
So perturbed is the VP, the sources claimed, that he allegedly felt snubbed and humiliated by Mugabe after the nonagenarian appointed co-deputy Phelekezela Mphoko to act as president for the second consecutive time when the country’s long-ruling leader went on his annual leave last month.
As a result, the insiders added, Mnangagwa had allegedly recently sought private audience with Mugabe in the Far East, where the First Family is holidaying, to both affirm his loyalty to the nonagenarian and to curry favour with him.
“Eyebrows were raised in both government and the party when the president named VP Mphoko as acting president for the second time instead of Mnangagwa as has been the custom so far.
“VP Mphoko was the acting president when Gushungo (Mugabe) attended the Sino-African summit in South Africa last year, and was again handed the coveted baton stick when the president went on his annual leave.
“This is why Ngwena (Mnangagwa) is acting like a cat on a hot tin roof and hot-footing it to the Far East to try and pacify Gushungo,” one of the sources claimed.
Mnangagwa, who is identified with a Zanu PF faction doing battle with the party’s ambitious Young Turks known as the Generation 40 in the former liberation movement’s ugly succession war, is said by his allies to have posed for pictures with the first family in the Far East.
“Lacoste (Mnangagwa) went and complained to the president that he is being attacked by Mphoko and (party national political commissar Saviour) Kasukuwere.
“He used the opportunity to lobby the president and affirm his support for him.
“He is clearly keen to make the president realise that he is not the enemy but a loyalist,” another source told the Daily News yesterday.
Other sources close to Mnangagwa claim that the beleaguered VP is feeling particularly threatened by the ominous move by the Zanu PF women’s league to agitate for a woman deputy president — which could see him demoted to a lower position later this year.
The league, which is led by the influential First Lady Grace Mugabe, declared last year that a woman would be the country’s vice president this year and their choice for this position increasingly appears to be Senate president Edna Madzongwe.
Most insiders are agreed that such a move is more likely to impact negatively on Mnangagwa than Mphoko.
“It is now a question of when in 2016, not whether we will have a woman VP. Last December’s (Zanu PF) conference set a clear deadline that 2016 would be the year that gender parity would be realised in the presidium.
“Nothing, and I mean absolutely nothing will stop women from realising their long-cherished dream, and that woman is likely to be Mai Madzongwe, and not Dr Amai (Grace), whom you guys wrongly accused of wanting to succeed the president,” one of the reliable sources recently told the Daily News.
Sources have also told the newspaper, that has accurately reported on the goings-on in the warring Zanu PF over the past four years, that a new wave of purges is looming and that these will target Mnangagwa’s allies such as outspoken legislator Justice Mayor Wadyajena.
These allies of the VP stand accused of “disrespecting the first family and fanning factionalism in the party”.
Seemingly unhinged State media columnists have also gone into overdrive over Zanu PF’s deadly infighting over the past few weeks, taking advantage of Mugabe’s absence on holiday.
“Bishop Lazarus is tempted to name names because secret meetings are already being held at that farm but this is the festive season, so I better show some love. But zvikarema ndozvireva,” one of them who writes for the Sunday Times said cryptically.
Another source also claimed that there was a looming Cabinet reshuffle which was sending jitters down the spines of Team Lacoste.
“When the president returns he will shake-up the Cabinet. He wants people who work for the people and not those who are aiming to succeed him and are causing unnecessary tension in the party.
“Watch this space, some top ministers will be removed from their posts,” the source said.

By Terrence Mawawa, Masvingo| Three Buhera brothers burnt their father to death after tying him to a tree and then setting fire on him in a horrific incident that has left ZRP cops scratching their heads for answers and the rest of the local community in shock.
The incident happened in Tenga Village, Nyashanu area on Christmas eve when the three bothers accused their father of witchcraft.

Shocked villagers told ZimEye.com the level of cruelty was shocking.
“We cannot believe what we discovered on Christmas day after the three brothers burnt their father to death.
“It is just unbelievable. They forced him to consult traditional healers and prophets over witchcraft but he refused so they tied him with chains and burnt him to death.It is shocking that the three brothers concurred to kill their father .Everyone is in a state of shock,” a local villager told ZimEye.
Police at Murambinda Growth Point confirmed the incident but said they were not authorised to speak much about the sad event.
It is understood the brothers wanted to invite a Tsikamutanda to cleanse their home but the father refused and the trio, under the influence of alcohol, “decided to fix him”.
Social commentators have attributed the gruesome incident to drug abuse and what they termed “demonic influence”.

A 60-YEAR-OLD Bulawayo man has been arrested for anally raping his ex-wife’s eight-year-old daughter on three occasions last month.
Prosecutors say a medical report will be produced in court to prove that the man abused the girl both ways; forcibly having anal sex with her after each time he had penetrated her privates.
The crime came to light on January 4 after the girl’s brother told his aunt that at one time, the assailant, who we cannot name to protect his victim but of Old Pumula, went with the girl into his house after ordering him to stand at the gate.
The man who is facing three counts of rape pleaded not guilty when he appeared before Provincial Magistrate Abednico Ndebele. He was remanded in custody to January 20 for trial.
He told the court that his ex-wife was framing him to fix him for terminating their relationship of 15 years.
“My ex-wife made up all these lies against me. I don’t know anything about these rape allegations,” he said. “She wanted us to work things out after our marriage of 15 years fell apart but I told her that I had already moved on with another woman. So I told her that we couldn’t get back together and for that reason she’s bitter as hell.”
Prosecuting, Maria John told the court that in December 2015, on an unknown date at around 1PM the girl was sent to Old Pumula “C” shopping centre to buy some meat.
“While at the shopping centre the complainant met the accused person who held her by the hand and took her to his place of residence. Upon arrival he lifted the complainant onto his bed and he ordered her to remove her clothes,” said John.
“The complainant removed her clothes and the accused person had sexual and anal intercourse with her. After the act, the accused person gave the complainant a bucket of water and ordered her to wash herself. The complainant left and went home but she didn’t inform anyone.”
The prosecutor told the court that during the same month the girl again met the suspect at the same shops and took her to his residence and raped her.
“The accused met the girl at the shops in Old Pumula and took her to his house where he removed her clothes and had sexual and anal intercourse with the girl,” said John.
He is said to have met the eight-year-old again while she was in the company of her brother and took her to his house.
“The accused then took the girl and her brother to his house and upon arrival the accused person ordered the brother to remain at the gate and went with the complainant inside the house,” said John.
“Inside the house the accused person removed the complainant’s clothes and had sexual and anal intercourse with her. After the act the complainant left together with her brother she had left at the gate.”
The prosecutor said a medical report can be produced before the court as an exhibit. chronicle

A librarian at Great Zimbabwe University, Mashava Campus, has been ordered to pay $6 000 in compensation and damages after he lured a married woman into an affair in exchange for free WiFi access.
Shepherd Chinofunga of Mashava was taken to court by Tirimukai Madhuku after he caught him having sex with his wife, Muchaneta Muchemwa, whom he offered free use of WiFi when she was supposed to pay since she was not a student.
Madhuku, who was represented by Mr Hebert Tafa of Tafa and Associates Legal Practitioners, was demanding $7 000 from Chinofunga, but Masvingo magistrate Bishard Chineka reduced the amount to $6 000.
It is understood that during the period extending from January to May last year, Madhuku proposed love to Muchemwa fully aware that she was married to Madhuku and offered her free WiFi access at the university in exchange of sex.
The two started dating and Muchemwa would leave the house at around 8pm going to the institution’s library where Chinofunga would then take her to a secluded place and have sex.
The matter came to light in May last year when Madhuku realised that his wife, who was semi literate, had become techno-savvy and became suspicious.
He followed his wife from a distance one night to the institution and saw her with Chinofunga.
The two went to an abandoned building close to the university campus where they started making love.
Madhuku followed the two and caught them in the act.
He then took them to his house where Chinofunga agreed to pay an undisclosed amount in damages to Madhuku and was freed.
Chinofunga did not honour his commitment, prompting Madhuku to institute court proceedings demanding damages.State Media

A resigned assistant truck driver at Alpha Omega Dairy, which is owned by President Robert Mugabe and his family, admitted to stealing from the company as he continued to receive his salary months after his resignation.

Bishop Ancelimo Magaya of the Divine Destiny religious grouping says a “tired” and “dozing” leadership is destroying the potential of the country.
Bishop Magaya who was addressing a group of youths in Harare said the country’s needs a youthful leadership for it to realise its full potential.
“It is very funny that most of the political parties in the country have what they call youth wings, but who is who in Zimbabwe? And who composes the greatest number of the population? Is it the aged or the youths?” said Bishop Magaya.
“But it is so funny that you have Politburos and some call them executives that are composed of people who  are always dozing , half the time and these are the people who  are defining your destiny”.
Bishop Magaya said the youths should take advantage of the failing economy and high level of unemployment to challenge the administration and show them how things should be done.
“We need as young people to understand the science of time and we need to understand that what is it that we need to do”, said Bishop Magaya.
Since the beginning of the year there have been riots in Harare and Chitungwiza emanating from disgruntled civil servants and commuter transport operators.
Bishop Magaya said all these things are happening for a purpose.
“The life time impact of any action and or opportunity is gotten when we seize the opportunity during its life time and I feel strongly that at times such as this one is the rightful time”.
“What is happening in the country at the moment requires people to know what to do and thank God for what is happening because it is happening for a purpose”.

By Terrence Mawawa, Masvingo|Newly elected Zanu PF chairman and staunch Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa apologist , Ezra Chadzamira has invaded one of the last few farms owned by a white commercial farmer with the help of the uniformed forces.
 
Chadzamira who was elevated to the top post in the province to beef up the Mnangagwa camp, took over Crest Ibeka Farm, 10 km outside Masvingo owned by Yvonne Goddard(68) ,with the help of soldiers and ZRP cops. Chadzamira is also the MP for Masvingo West Constituency.
 
The farm, situated along the Mashava-Masvingo highway is the hub of cattle breeding in the province and the local community. At least 106 villagers were benefiting from the cattle breeding programme at the farm.
 
Villagers in the area attempted to resist Chadzamira’s move but he called for reinforcement from the police and the army who moved in to beat up the villagers as the hapless Goddard watched in tears.                                       Sources in the Ministry of Lands and Rural Resettlement reveal that Chadzamira, who owns two other farms in Mwenezi demanded an eviction notice from the ministry and ordered Goddard out of the farm.
 
Andrew Mahlekete, a local villager in charge of the heifer project at the farm said at least 100 villagers were benefiting from the cattle breeding programme and they have since written a letter to the Minister of Lands and Rural Resettlement Douglas Mombeshora to appeal for help on behalf of Goddard.
 
“Since 12 February 2014 we started the livestock improvement programme to benefit 106 villagers from Heathcote Farm, Idhlala Farm and Ibheka Farm, the withdrawal of the offer will greatly affect the planned long term project ,” read part of the letter of appeal written to Mombeshora.
Several employees are set to lose their jobs following the latest farm invasion. The violent land grab exercise popularly called the third Chimurenga ,has displaced nearly 4000 commercial farmers but ecomomists blame the chaotic programme for grossly affecting agricultural production thereby leading to the current economic abyss.

Despite complaints from many Zimbabweans about the state of the country’s economy, which most people blame on the ruling Zanu-PF party, director Pedzisai Ruhanya of the Zimbabwe Democracy Institute, said they would still likely vote for the party in an election than any of the opposition parties because of their state of disunity and disarray.
Speaking in a recent panel discussion with chairman of the United Kingdom Zanu-PF branch, Nick Mangwana, Dr. Ruhanya, said it’s not that the ruling party itself is any better, but it holds up better than the opposition.
“I don’t think that the failures of Zanu [PF] necessarily mean that the opposition will gain,” said Dr. Ruhanya.
“Zanu can be torn apart, they can run into factions, but I can say that a faction in Zanu [PF] given the complexity between party and state, and how they hold the state through the military, they can still win the election because the opposition is not organized. The opposition is in disarray.”
Dr. Ruhanya said as long as the opposition remains this way, splintering like the once united Movement for Democratic Change, there can be no hope of a strong opposition to Zanu-PF which could force the ruling party into any kind of compromise, for the benefit of the people.
“Look at Zanu [PF] and Zapu [Zimbabwe African People’s Union]. There was a time when they formed the Patriotic Front, to confront a common enemy in Rhodesia, and they won independence, and these guys [opposition] to be frank, if they continue in their disorganizing manner and their mediocrity state as it is, Zanu [PF] can be torn apart, they can differ, but they can still win the elections because of the problems of the opposition.”
Mangwana agreed that there is more his Zanu-PF party can do to improve the standard of living in the country. He also noted his party’s objectives this year.
“We have to deliver good outcomes for our people, we have to focus not on power gains, we actually have to focus on delivering good economics to our people. That as a party is a running call that any well-meaning Zimbabwean should make.”
ZDI Director Pedzisai Ruhanya and Chair of Zanu-PF UK Branch Nick Mangwana
Stressing his party’s various policies to improve people’s livelihoods, such as the Zimbabwe Agenda for Socio-Economic Transformation (Zimasset), Mangwana said though its progress may be slow, it is yielding results.
He said there are more stringent needs that as a country every citizen should be concerned about and help the party address, rather than fighting it.
“This year there is going to be very devastating drought. We need everybody focused on making sure that not even a single person would starve, and not even a single person would go hungry. We have to make sure that the jobs that are there are retained, and more are created,” Mangwana said.
“If people have got a single-mindedness of focusing on those particular goals, we’ll achieve everything we need, and 2016 can be better.”
But with the World Food Program reporting that close to 2 million Zimbabweans are in need of food aid, and the appeal that it has put out for assistance, Dr. Ruhanya said Mangwana and his Zanu-PF party’s concerns are late.
“I don’t know why he [Mangwana] is saying that we will not have anyone starving, people are starving, people have no food, we already have a drought. I think that they’ve told him [Mangwana] from Harare, that the country has a huge food deficit,” said Dr. Ruhanya.
To adequately address the problem, Dr. Ruhanya said Zanu-PF and all the parties in the country should prioritize people rather than their own person needs.
“The problem we have as a country is that we have a problem of the will to power, versus the will to transformation. Everything that is happening here is about grabbing, it’s about capturing power, but transforming our institutions, transforming our economy, transforming our democratic culture, is not part of the discourse, not only in Zanu [PF] but also in the opposition,” Dr. Ruhanya said.
But aside from that Dr. Ruhanya continued, change in the country is a long stretch given the age of President Robert Mugabe, whom he said is not inspiring confidence in investors wanting to invest in the country, and not showing the leadership needed to steer the country out of its current abyss.
“President Mugabe is turning 92 in 7 weeks time,” he stressed. “Surely you cannot have international or domestic economic confidence in a 92-year-old, to do deals with a 92-year-old,” Dr. Ruhanya concluded with a laugh.
But Mangwana said he and his party have confidence in President Mugabe, whom they recently endorsed as the candidate for the 2018 elections, in which he will contest for the country’s presidency, at the age of 94. – VOA

Raping and impregnating a 14-year-old stepdaughter earns a Buhera man 30 years imprisonment.
Tatenda Chawanika (32) of Dhewa Village, Chief Chitsunge who was not represented and was denying ever abusing his step-daughter will, however, serve 25 years in jail after Rusape regional magistrate, Mr Livingstone Chipadza suspended five years on condition of good behaviour.
The stepdaughter has since given birth. Rusape area prosecutor, Mr Tirivanhu Mutyasira, told the court that Chawanika on two occasions took advantage of the absence of his wife who is the girl’s mother to sexually abuse her before threatening her with death if ever she divulged the abuse to anyone.
Sometime in October 2014, Chawanika and the complainant were at home. While the complainant was doing laundry in the kitchen hut, the accused person entered the kitchen and grabbed her by the collar and raped her.
After the rape, Chawanika threatened to kill the complainant if she revealed the matter to anyone. In October 2014, the girl arrived home from school and found the accused person alone seated under a tree.
The girl entered the bedroom in order to change her school uniform. Chawanika followed her in the bedroom and proceeded to rape her. — Manica Post.

The Tendai Biti led People’s Democratic Party says “tired” Zanu PF officials in Mashonaland East are failing to improve service delivery to the electorate.
“We have not seen anything tangible they have done for the people since they were elected into office and what we are seeing is the deterioration of service delivery, for example Marondera, Mrewa and Macheke which awarded town status people are living in squalid conditions in these towns which were once growth points,” the party’s Mashonaland East provincial chairman Langton Matuku Matuku told ZimEye.com in an interview.
“If you go to Mrewa centre people are given under serviced piece of land to build houses where at the same portion they are digging shallow wells for drinking water and some few meters on the same land they are digging holes and constructing pit latrines”.
“This is poor service delivery dangerous to the people’s health which we are condemning and believe it needs to be greatly improved,” he said.
Matuku said this is caused by the aging Zanu PF leadership which the party is imposing on the electorate.
“For example in Mrewa north’s ward 16 there is a 78 year old Zanu PF councillor who was recently imposed on the people by Zanu PF after the party had sacked the seating councillor on allegations of siding with the Joice Mujuru camp and this has greatly affected service delivery,”said Matuku.
PDP could not field any candidate because of the “No Reforms No Election” campaign they adopted soon after the 2013 elections.

News Day Journalists who were arrested for publishing a CIO bonus story were on Friday released on $200 bail each by a Harare Magistrate Elijah Makomo.

Releasing the  Journalists ( Nqaba Matshazi (Deputy Editor) and Xolisani Ncube (reporter)   Magistrate  Makomo said they should also, surrender their travelling documents to the Harare Magistrate’s clerk of court, report every Friday to CID Harare and continue residing at their given addresses.
He also ordered them to return to the same court 27 January 2016.
The Office of the Prosecutor General which was represented by Sharon Mashavira was not opposed to the Journalists’ release.
Taona Nyamakura and Mzokhuthula Mbuyiso of Mtetwa &Nyambirai Legal Practitioners who are members of the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights indicated that they were going to challenge the constitutionality of the charges which are being leveled against his clients.
The Journalists are being charged with contravening Section 31 (1) (ii) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act for allegedly publishing falsehoods.
The charges are emanating from a story they published on Wednesday which claimed that government in December secretly paid the CIO their salaries and bonuses.

Game rangers and ZRP cops have arrested four MDC-T member connected people they blame for rhino poaching in Matobo National Park.
Tsvangira’s legislator for Tsholotsho (Proportional Representation), Ms Lwazi Sibanda was also questioned.
Matobo National Park is located in Matabeleland South.
The four suspects include Munyaradzi Mwonzora, young brother to the MDC-T secretary-general Mr Douglas Mwonzora.
Others are Clement Mazhandu (39), Shadreck Kuvarega (39), and Brighton Nkosilathi Nyathi (26).
They were arrested by Zimbabwe National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority rangers on Tuesday afternoon who then handed them over to Matobo police.
Mwonzora is also an MDC-T councillor in Nyanga. The quartet was arrested after they were suspected of tracking a rhinoceros spoor in the park.
It is also alleged that Ms Sibanda was earlier on spotted in the same park conducting surveillance prior to the arrival of Mwonzora and his accomplices. National police spokesperson Chief Superintendent Paul Nyathi yesterday said further investigations into the matter were underway.
The four are expected to appear in court in Kezi on Wednesday next week. “We arrested the four suspects in connection with poaching activities in Matopo National Park. More information will be provided when we complete the ongoing investigations” he said.
“The MDC-T MP was summoned to Hillside Police Station in Bulawayo where she was questioned and released following her visit to Mwonzora at Matopo police station”.
The suspects’ lawyer, Mr Kholwani Ngwenya, said yesterday that his clients had been charged with criminal trespass and that they would appear in court on Wednesday next week.
He said the four were released on summons and that the MP’s vehicle was also searched as the police suspected that it was carrying a gun, which they intended to use for poaching.
“They were arrested by rangers on Tuesday afternoon who later handed them to the police on Wednesday morning.
“Actually, Mwonzora and others were going to an area called Gulaki where he intended to buy a vehicle. Along the way they came across wild beasts and followed them when one of them said he hadn’t seen them in his whole life,” said Mr Ngwenya.
He said the four then followed a path for some distance unaware that they were following a rhino spoor and they were intercepted by parks rangers.
Mr Ngwenya said at some point which they had passed, there were prints of the butt of a gun which made the rangers believe that the group was on a poaching mission.
Ms Sibanda refused to comment on the matter last night referring all the questions to Mr Ngwenya (her lawyer).
The incident comes a few weeks after the Minister of Environment, Water and Climate, Cde Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri, raised concern on the rampant poaching in the country’s national parks saying highly placed people, staff in rural district councils and some safari operators were involved in the vice.