A Bulawayo-based soldier blew up his head with an AK-47 rifle while on duty on Saturday night in a suspected case of suicide following alleged problems at home.
Corporal Blessing Munetsi, 31, reportedly told his friends that he was having serious problems with his wife. A colleague later found him dead at Imbizo Barracks.
Bulawayo provincial police spokesperson Inspector Precious Simango said: “We received a report of a Bulawayo man who committed suicide. Investigations are in progress.”
When the State Media news crew visited Munetsi’s rented home in Nkulumane yesterday, some soldiers barred reporters from speaking to the family.
Family members said they could only speak when Munetsi’s bosses give them the greenlight to do so.
Efforts to get a comment from army spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Alphias Makotore were fruitless.
Sources within the army said Munetsi was guarding the armoury when he decided to take his life at about 7:20PM on Saturday.
“Munetsi went to the toilet behind the armoury and used his AK-47 rifle to shoot himself. He shot himself through the chin and the bullet blew up his head, killing him instantly.
“A colleague rushed to the scene and found Munetsi’s body in a pool of blood. He alerted senior soldiers at the army base and a report was made to Queens Park police station. His body was taken to the United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH) mortuary,” said one of his colleagues.
He said Munetsi, who was earlier seen drinking with friends at the Highlanders FC clubhouse told his friends that he was frustrated by his wife’s unbecoming behaviour.
“Munetsi said his wife was in the habit of going out at night and coming back in the morning. He said he had tried on several occasions to talk to the wife but she wouldn’t listen to him,” said the friend.
Munetsi, added the friend, said he was tired of arguing with his wife all the time.
Last month, a Bulawayo police officer’s alleged lover died at Mpilo Central Hospital’s Intensive Care Unit after shooting herself with the cop’s service pistol following a domestic tiff.
Marble Chiture, 32, was rushed unconscious to the referral hospital following the incident that is said to have happened at Superintendent Crissen Masuka’s home.
Chiture shot herself in an attempted suicide following an undisclosed marital dispute and later died in hospital. State Media

The Premier Service Medical Aid Society managing director Mr Henry Mandishona has approached the Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare seeking to stop his disciplinary hearing set for tomorrow.
Mr Mandishona, who is facing an array of charges, is arguing that the stipulated time within which he was supposed to be tried lapsed.
In his letter of complaint to the ministry dated November 2, 2015, through his lawyers, Mr Mandishona said he was seeking intervention from the labour officer because the stipulated 30 days had lapsed before his matter was heard.
This is in line with section 101 (6) of the Labour Act chapter 28:01, which provides for either party to refer a matter to the Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare should 30 days lapse without a date of hearing being set.
“This matter is being referred to your good offices for the simple reason that more than 30 days have gone without the matter having been heard,” said Mr Mandishona.
“Section 101 (6) allows either party to refer this matter to your good offices if the matter is not determined within 30 days from the date of notification. You will notice from the documents that we have submitted that we have gone beyond the 30 days without a date for the hearing being set.”
The delays were, however, at the behest of Mr Mandishona who initially requested for more details with regards to his charges.
Interference by Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Minister Priscah Mupfumira and Health and Child Care Minister Dr David Parirenyatwa, who ordered the unconditional reinstatement of Mr Mandishona, also delayed the hearing.
Mr Mandishona was suspended on September 24 this year and served with notification for a disciplinary hearing on October 2.
His hearing was scheduled to take place on October 8, but through his lawyers, he requested for further particulars to his charges, resulting in postponement of the matter to October 23.
Before Mr Mandishona could stand before that hearing, the two ministers on October 20 ordered the PSMAS board to reinstate him, a move that saw the board budging in to the order.
But a few days after, a Bulawayo based PSMAS member Mr Emmanuel Javane Mwale filed a lawsuit at the High Court seeking to bar the two ministers from interfering with PSMAS affairs.
In his lawsuit, Mr Mwale cited the nine PSMAS board members as second respondents.
This resulted in the PSMAS board rescinding its earlier decision to reinstate Mr Mandishona and set tomorrow as the new date for Mr Mandishona’s hearing.
Mr Mandishona’s request is expected to be heard today. State Media

The family and friends of the abducted democracy activist Itai  Dzamara, say they will be conducting prayer meetings in  Africa Unity Square where the  missing journalist and human rights activist used to stage his anti- President-Robert-Mugabe protests to curse government for failing to bring back “our beloved family man”.
This was revealed in Harare on Monday by the chairperson of Itai Dzamara Trust, Bishop Ancelimo Magaya at a prayer meeting they were hoding in memory of Dzamara.
Today Monday 8th November marks 8 months since the abduction of Itai by members of the dreaded CIO in Harare.
The human rights activist before he was disappeared was challenging President Robert Mugabe to step down  for  failing to fulfil his 2013 election 2.2 million  job  promises he made to the people.
Bishop Magaya said since the police had bared their national prayer meeting they were now resorting  to holding  them  in Africa Unity Square.
“What we are doing today is a beginning and also a continuation in another form and version of an ongoing public demonstration in prayer but also condemnation of such wanton, ruthless display of power of those that think that they control people’s lives,” said Bishop Magaya.
“So we are happy that we have successfully been able to conduct this prayer meeting today and this is going to be an ongoing thing”.

There was drama in Ruwa on Saturday after relatives of a deceased  Caledonia man, Farirai Jera dumped his body at the doorstep of  a Zanu PF land baron Oswell Gwanzura , accusing him of having contributed to the deceased’s death.
Gwanzura is the Chairman of the Goromonzi Housing Scheme which is at the centre stage of land scam in Caledonia.
Jera’s body was dumped at Gwanzura’s Ruwa home at night, amid accusations that the deceased sustained injuries from an attack initiated by the Goromonzi Housing Scheme chairman on June 30 this year.
Gwanzura, however refuted the claims, saying he was never part of the clashes and he only came in to initiate dialogue between the people who clashed on the named date.
Police spokesperson, Chief Superintendent Paul Nyathi told the state media that they have taken the dumped body to Parirenyatwa hospital adding that  investigations were in progress on the circumstances surrounding Jera’s death.

Police on Sunday arrested MDC-T Member of Parliament for Highfield East constituency, Eric Murai and 16 party supporters for holding an unsanctioned meeting  and  for violence which happened at Hopely farm last week.
Ironically hoards of armed Zanu PF supporters thronged the MDC-T Hopely rally on Sunday last week and brutalised MDC-T supporters.
Instead of arresting the intruders, (Zanu PF supporters) the police on Sunday pounced on MDT-T supporters who were holding a rally in the same area and arrested them for contravening Chapter 37 of the Criminal Law Codification and Reform Act.
National Police Spokesperson, Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba told the state media that Murai was arrested at Hopely farm together with 16 other MDC-T supporters for holding an unlawful public gathering to promote public violence and breach of peace.
The meeting was attended by more than 2000 MDC-T supporters.
 

By Tinoonga Mawere, Masvingo| Overzealous Minister of State for Masvingo Shuvai Mahofa told Zanu PF supporters at Mucheke Stadium on Saturday there will be bloodshed if unruly elements attempt to unseat President Mugabe’s controversial wife Grace and her husband, Robert.


Standing in for her boss Grace who did not attend the rally which coincided with the ZILIWACO conference,Mahofa said war veterans and war collaborators were prepared to go to war and attack all perceived Mugabe opponents.

Mahofa who last year collapsed while celebrating Grace’s elevation and soon forced government officials at Benjamin Burombo centre to shift her office from the second floor to the ground floor after failing to walk up the stairs, said all those who oppose the First Family would be ruthlessly dealt with.

Mahofa did not say anything about the looming drought in the province as thousands face starvation. She also remained mum on the increase in ritual murder cases across the province.

“We are Freedom Fighters and we are not finished and we know there are some of you who have been given money by western countries to betray the revolution and reverse the gains of the liberation struggle. If you are Gamatox and want to follow (Joice)Mujuru then get out of Zanu PF. If you want to unseat the president we will go to war. Don’t think we are finished we will suddenly become alive. You must stop talking nonsense about the First Lady. We are prepared to defend the First Family by all means necessary,” said Mahofa

The veteran politician has also been accused of unleashing violence against opposition supporters in Gutu district. Local residents here who attended the rally went home disappointed after being subjected to the traditional liberation war rhetoric.

“We went to the rally expecting to hear our leaders addressing issues to do with the welfare of ordinary Zimbabweans but nothing was said to that effect. It is unfortunate and disturbing,” said Mavis Ziki of Mucheke suburb.

A police officer was stabbed with a knife by a gang of robbers as he tried to arrest them after they had broken into a shop in Bulawayo’s Central Business District.He is recovering in hospital
The police officer, only identified as Constable Shonhe, was stabbed twice on the back by one of the four suspects who had broken into Cool Spot Supermarket along Fife Street at the corner of Masotsha Ndlovu Avenue last Monday.
The cop, who was on patrol with a colleague when he was attacked, is recovering at the United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH).
National police spokesperson Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba confirmed the incident and said the suspects are on the run.
“On November 2 at about 1AM, two police constables were on patrol and they arrived at a supermarket along Fife Street at the corner of Masotsha Ndlovu Avenue. They witnessed unlawful entry in progress, with four criminals in the shop,” said Snr Asst Comm Charamba.
“The criminals panicked and three ran away while one remained in the shop. On seeing the police officers, he jumped out of the shop through a window and Cst Shonhe tried to apprehend him. He produced a knife and stabbed the police officer who fell on the veranda.”
She said the suspect escaped and police attended the scene and Constable Shonhe was taken to hospital where he is recovering.

Snr Asst Comm Charamba said investigations were underway.
One of the workers at the supermarket who declined to be named said they were shocked to find the shop with broken windows and blood stains when they reported for work.
“We closed the shop at about 7PM as usual on Monday evening. When we reported for work the next morning we were shocked to see blood stains on the wall and broken windows. Police officers who were attending the scene told us that two police officers who were on patrol intercepted four robbers who had broken into the shop,” said the shop employee.
“The policemen noticed that there were people in the shop and rushed to inspect. They tried to apprehend them and one of the robbers produced a knife and stabbed one of the police officers twice on the back.”
She said the robbers fled after the botched robbery and left the police officer in a pool of blood.
“The shop was upside down when we came in the morning. They broke two windows to gain entry before breaking the empty tills and drawers that we had locked before we left. The police officers pounced on them while they were still searching for money in the shop. They left without taking anything,” added the shop employee.
There has been a spate of robberies in the city with supermarkets and schools being targeted.
About two weeks ago, a group of masked burglars blew up safes at Bulawayo’s Bellevue Choppies supermarket (formerly Bellevue Spar) and got away with more than $16,000.
The robbers allegedly used shears to cut through the roof of the outlet during the night.
A few weeks before that, robbers hit Bulawayo’s Richmond Spar and got away with more than $10,000. Last month robbers pounced on six Bulawayo schools and got away with more than $4,000. – Chronicle

Chrispen Tabvura, Bulawayo | Of the hundreds of Zimbabwean children affected by social neglect, I bumped into four children who are living in hell, after their mother abandoned them for her country of birth, Zambia.
This was after the death of her husband who was the bread winner.
The father of Mozambique origin and married to the Zambian woman, were both staying in Bulawayo’s Magwegwe suburb before this sorry situation that left the kids in this state.

The father whose real name was Adrea Fernando, was blessed with four children, Shelton 15, now in grade 3, Yolanda 12, in grade 2, Samuza 9, in grade 1 and Malvin 5 is still to be assisted by well-wishers to go to preschool.
All the four children are without birth certificates, as Zimbabwe’s laws only authorize the biological parents to acquire the documents, leaving the disadvantaged and orphans to struggle.
Councillor Concilia Mlalazi, who is the community leader in Bulawayo’s Ward 18, where the orphans are staying with a sick relative who cannot afford a meal for them, in an interview said the children are in need of help.
“The situation is really bad my son, as you can see for yourself. We are fighting hard to source funding from kind people to rescue this situation. We have more than 500 households who are in total poverty, as their bread winners died and some are child headed, she said.
“All this is taking place while political leaders are feasting and buying expensive cars, and failing to help the disadvantaged,” said Mrs Sikhumbuzile Sibanda a Community Health Worker.
Another resident, who is also a Community Health Worker and a Child Counselor Mrs Joice Moyo told this reporter that until the day government sets aside funds for the aid of these disadvantaged children, the situation will worsen.
The father, Fernando died of the Aids pandemic, leaving the children in the hands of their mother who also could not stand the problems and escaped to Zambia, leaving the children to fend for themselves under Zimbabwe’s harsh economy.

Prophetic Healing and Deliverance (PHD) Ministries founder Walter Magaya has denied claims that he is engaged in a spiritual warfare with fellow charismatic preacher and leader of United Families International Church (Ufic), Emmanuel Makandiwa.
He described the supposed tiff between the two as a creation of the two prophets’ enemies.
Although he did not name the enemy, Magaya said the supposed tussle between the two was as a result of lack of communication between the two prophets who last met six years ago and hardly spoke to each other over the phone.
“There is no fight at all but I just think that it is the enemy who wants to take advantage of lack of communication between me and my fellow prophet,” Magaya said.
The two preachers, who seemingly compete against each other, were last week at each other’s throat over an advert allegedly sponsored by one of PHD members to congratulate Makandiwa for coming third in a list of Zimbabwe’s most influential youths, in which Magaya was on top.
The Ufic church appeared to accuse Magaya and his ministry of sponsoring the advert although they did not mention him by name. Magaya’s PHD ministry in turn disowned the person who paid for the advert and said they did not know him.
Magaya told journalists who attended the all-night prayer dubbed Night of Turnaround 4 that the incident was unfortunate and blamed it on his enemies whom he said wanted to see the two prophets fighting.
“I was in Nigerian when that happened, when I returned I heard of the issue but there is no fight at all. We are not competing at all, we have different callings and our mission is not to compete, but we complement each other,” he said.
It was not easy to estimate the number of congregants that filled the vast expanse of the area that the PHD ministry headquarters is situated. The area is wedged between Waterfalls, along the Harare-Masvingo highway and Highfield high-density suburb, several kilometres away.
Among the tens of thousands that attended were government ministers Supa Mandiwanzira, Martin Dinha and Chris Mushohwe, deputy ministers Anastasia Ndlovu, Abigail Damasane and Paul Mavhima. There were also dozens of Members of Parliament from across the political divide.
The First Lady Grace Mugabe who had been expected to attend did not turn up.
To keep the multitudes entertained before his arrival and during breaks, Magaya invited Zimbabwe’s music legend, Oliver Mtukudzi, South Africa’s gospel star, Benjamin Dube and the country’s top gospel couple of Charles and Olivia Charamba.
Mtukudzi, who is accustomed to performing at secular hide outs and night clubs, put up a tantalizing act which saw the entire church dancing to his hits especially gospel rhythms.
Songs such as Hossana, Hear me Lord and Shamiso send the crowd into frenzy.
The gospel couple of Charamba and wife did not disappoint either as they paraded a breath-taking act which saw them belting out hits such as Kunamwari kudenga, Rute among other songs.
Sungura senior lecturer and now a member of the PHD praise and worship Nicholas Zacharia and dancehall artists, Shinsoman also had their fair share of the stage. -The Standard

A HWANGE man raped a sex worker he had hired in his haulage truck after he got drunk and forgot about their arrangement.
Hillary Moyo (20) of Kolowa Village in Simangani, Hwange told the court during the confirmation of his extra curial statement that he slept with the 20-year-old sex worker after finding her naked in his bed.
Moyo, who is also facing a charge of theft, denied having taken the self-confessed sex worker’s cellphone.
“Yes, the contents of my statement were given by me and are correct. I had sexual intercourse with her because I found her sleeping in my bed naked. I do not admit to the allegations that I stole her phone because I did not see it,” said Moyo when he appeared before provincial magistrate Mrs Portia Mhlanga-Moyo for initial remand.
The court heard that on 2 November at around midnight, Moyo was on a drinking spree with the woman he had reportedly hired for sex services and her friend. At around 2am, the woman got excessively drunk and informed her client that she could not continue with the binge but wanted to sleep.
Moyo led the two women to a broken down haulage truck horse where he told them to sleep while he continued drinking.
“During that night while she slept, Moyo returned and sneaked into the truck before having sexual intercourse with her, without her knowledge and consent. The complainant discovered the offence when she woke up at around 4am when she noticed that her trousers were pulled down and that there was semen on her private parts,” said Miss Loveness Maseko, while prosecuting.
Unsure of what had transpired during the night, she woke up Moyo whom she found sleeping next to her after failing to locate her friend in the truck. She asked him about the events of the previous night before asking him about the person who had had sex with her.
Moyo is alleged to have confessed to the sex act, arguing that the two had an arrangement. He was remanded in custody to 10 November for plea recording after the case was referred to the regional court.State Media

State Media-Government will begin paying bonuses to its employees this month, with uniformed forces scheduled to be the first recipients, a Cabinet minister has said.
Payment to the rest of the Civil Service could then stretch to January 2016 to allow authorities room to gather further resources against a tide of revenue constraints.
The dates are likely to be tabled before Cabinet as early as this Tuesday, with an announcement expected to follow.
In an interview last week, Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Minister Prisca Mupfumira said 2015 Civil Service bonuses were not “a question of if, but when they will be paid”.
This most certainly is good news to civil servants who were keenly counting down to year-end, anxiously awaiting their employer’s position on the matter.
In early 2015, there had been indications that Government would forego paying the 13th cheque due to limited funds.
However, President Mugabe clarified that bonuses were an entitlement, and as such, civil servants should expect a windfall in the festive season.
Yesterday, Minister Mupfumira said Government – in spite of financial constraints – remains guided by this position.
“The uniformed forces will get their bonuses in November. As you know, I don’t deal with uniformed forces but the (Civil Service Commission) Chairperson (Dr Mariyawanda Nzuwa) has confirmed this to me.
“For the other civil servants, the proposal is that we stagger payment because we don’t have the money to pay everyone at once. The proposal will be brought before Cabinet most likely on Tuesday, after which we will be in a position to announce the actual dates of payment.”
She added, “Nothing has changed from the statement made by His Excellency, President Mugabe, in April; we stand guided by that. Yes, we are facing financial problems, but we have to work out ways of making sure that our workers smile.”
Civil servant representatives yesterday welcomed this assurance, though expressing reservations on staggering payment.
The Apex Council chair Mr Richard Gundani implored Government to pay bonuses to all civil servants this year.
“Our expectations are that we must get our bonuses at the end of each year. It’s our entitlement. So, it’s a good and welcome development that what the President assured us is becoming reality.
“What I would, however, like to implore Government to do is to make sure it covers everyone in November and December 2015. While we are not threatening any action, we hope bonus payment will not spill into 2016. In planning the 2016 National Budget, Government should include civil servants’ bonuses so that we won’t have to discuss bonuses again towards the end of the year like we are doing now.”
In 2014, Government promised to pay civil servants bonuses simultaneously, but ended up staggering them due to cashflow challenges.
Some of its employees received their 13th cheque in January 2015.
Government is looking at ways of cutting the Civil Service wage bill, which chews up about 82 percent of national revenue. State Media

Grace Mugabe’s rival for the hotly contested Presidency, Emmerson Mnangagwa, denies revelations that his party is collapsing.
Mmangagwa said details showing serious divisions in Zanu PF are “just wishful thinking”.

The first lady Grace Mugabe’s foot soldiers Saviour Kasukuwere and Philip Chiyangwa are demanding $100 million from residents of Caledonia farm and Southlea Park in Harare and at the same time threatening to evict those who would have failed to contribute to what they are calling the development and compensation fees for the two state properties.
Both Kasukuwere and Chiyangwa are pushing for Grace Mugabe to succeed her 91 year old husband President Robert Mugabe to be the country’s next President.
They are however being resisted by vice President Emerson Mnangagwa who currently has the majority of cabinet ministers beefing his support in government.
Kasukuwere made the demands to Caledonia residents during his tour of the farm where he had gone under the guise of seeing “progress” made by the Harare city council which took over the affairs of the area from disgruntled pro-ousted former vice President Joice Mujuru aligned Zanu PF land barons who were also extorting desperate home seekers of their money.
“For this area to access service delivery, a total of $58 million is needed and that money must come from you,” he told residents after they had complained that they were not able to meet his demands.
“Each resident must pay US$50 monthly without fail if you want to access services such as water, roads and street lighting,” said Kasukuwere .
A similar incident is happening in Southlea Park where Philip Chiyangwa is demanding $42 million from residents as compensation for the area.
Chiyangwa is claiming to own Odar farm which was gazetted by government as state property in 2006.
Home to over 120 people, Caledonia was once a transit camp for 2005 Operation Murambatsvina victims.
 
 
 

A SOLDIER based at Mbizo Barracks in Bulawayo allegedly ran amok and assaulted three police officers, who tried to arrest him after accusing them of being thieves.
This was heard by Bulawayo magistrate Sithembiso Ncube on Wednesday when Richard Mjumi (22) appeared before her, charged with undermining police authority, assaulting and resisting a police officer.
Mjumi pleaded guilty to the charge and the magistrate remanded him to Wednesday next week for sentence.
The court heard that on October 28 this year, Mjumi was playing snooker at Mpilo Central Hospital when a police officer, Solomon Dzingirai, passed by in the company of other officers, only identified as Constables Tabinga and Taruvinga.
The court heard, when Mjumi saw them, he labelled them thieves, in Shona, questioning their presence in the area.
“You are thieves, you want to disturb us from playing snooker. People are being killed and have their property stolen, while you are here,” Mjumi is said to have remarked.
“If you remain here, I will hit you with stones.”
After the brief confrontation, the three police officers approached him intending to arrest him, but he became violent and attacked them with fists and booted feet.
The officers sustained injuries, but eventually managed to arrest him.-SouthernEye

Former Hurungwe West MP Temba Mliswa has dismissed a State Media report that quotes him making a passionate plea to return to the Grace Mugabe controlled party.
Mliswa described the below report as “rubbish..” He did not deny that he is asking to be forgiven by ZANU PF as he is quoted in the article.
He however told ZimEye.com “read the whole story and have it recorded where I am saying I wouldn’t due to the violence.”
FULL TEXT OF THE Herald Report:
MLISWA BEGS ZANU PF FOR RETURN
Former Hurungwe West legislator Temba Mliswa has made a passionate plea to Zanu-PF to accept him back following his ouster last year after being linked to a cabal that sought to unconstitutionally unseat President Mugabe.
Mr Mliswa was touted as a vital cog in the intended putsch whose quashing claimed several scalps, including that of former Vice President Dr Joice Mujuru, the leader of the rebels.
Mr Mliswa was the first party provincial chairman to be sacked and since then he has been a wondering spirit hobnobbing with the opposition and has also tried to reclaim his Hurungwe West seat, but lost to Cde Keith Guzah in June.
But Mr Mliswa, who has fallen out with the Dr Mujuru-linked People First project, says his heart is with Zanu-PF.
He told The Herald about the dim prospects of People First which up to date does not have structures and is a “newspaper and social media party”. He claims that the rebellion in Zanu-PF and the People First Project had withered on the vine because its mastermind and Dr Mujuru’s husband, Solomon, had died. “You see, the truth of the matter is you are giving prominence to something which is not even registered,” he said.
“I mean, Jim Kunaka said what he said representing People First, as who? I tried to go around looking for the constitution, they have no constitution, they have no office. Who is the leader of the party? It’s speculative, it’s in the paper. “And the truth of the matter is I have never known of a party which has no leader and which has no address . . . You see for me to waste time on people speculating on a newspaper party, on a social media party, I am not like that.“I believe politics is by going to the ground. Even the BUILD document that they put together, who endorsed it?
“They are saying that Zanu-PF is very dictatorial. At least one thing that Zanu-PF does is call for a conference and a congress and it make resolutions. They (People First) did not even call for a conference to hear from the people and for the people to endorse it.”
He said if People First had a constituency, it should have fielded candidates in the intervening by-elections. “David Butau is People First, why did he not stand as People First in Mbire? Bhasikiti was Mwenezi and he claims to be People First but he is allowing his constituency to go to Zanu-PF but he is People First. I have never understood such politics. Politics is about people.”
He explained: “The other issue is that who was the brains behind this (putschist agenda)? It was her husband the late General Mujuru who was the strategist, who was the driver of this. He is no more unfortunately. So who can replace him? No one. So you know when a project has a strategist and the strategist is not there, why continue with it?
“You are in a war and the commander is not there, he knows the route, do you continue with the war or you abandon the struggle? And if you can’t beat them you join them and you surrender,” he said.
Mr Mliswa is itching for a return to the ruling party. “(I)f it is true that this country is about us being a better people and being a better people means the political party (Zanu-PF) being stable, why can’t the political party extend a hand of reconciliation and say a lot happened?” said Mr Mliswa.
“Especially for me, I wrote a letter to say but my suspension was not fair. As much as people would what they want, I wrote because I did not believe I had done anything wrong. I believe that it was in the interest of the party that if I am wrong it (disciplinary action) is done properly and I go back to the people who elected me and say I am no longer in the party because I was found guilty of ABCD.
“I have never been given an opportunity to explain my side other than talking to you in an interview, that’s the only time that I talk about that…I mean Zanu-PF forgave the white man who they went to war with and killed. I am not a white man. I never even went to war and killed anyone. But they fail to forgive me!” he bemoaned.

Statw Media-Jailed Independent End Time Message leader Robert Martin Gumbura’s youngest and 11th wife on Wednesday appeared to be pregnant as she attended her husband’s trial at the Harare Magistrates’ Court.
Bester Runyowa (25) appeared at the court with a visible bulge on her stomach, almost two years after Gumbura’s incarceration.The bulge follows revelations in the same court that her husband had unfettered freedom in prison that included his own private corner,bodyguards, a secretary and unquestionable permission that allowed his wives to bring in 960 bricks of cigarettes.
The bulge has heightened speculation on whether Gumbura is also enjoying his conjugal rights while in prison.Gumbura was sentenced to an effective 40-year jail term on four countsof rape involving three women and possessing pornographic material in February last year.
Runyowa was spotted when she came to attend her husband’s jailbreak trial in which he is accused with eight others of masterminding a foiled jailbreak at Chikurubi Maximum Prison on Wednesday.
During the jailbreak trial, State witness Claudius Mutizwa told the court that Gumbura is regarded as a “godfather” and prison officers beg for food from him.
Gumbura’s brother, Wilson, vehemently denied that the pregnant woman is one of Gumbura’s wives.
“The pregnant woman is not one of Gumbura’s wives. She is just a member of the congregation. Remember that a lot of people stay at Gumbura’s house at No. 6 Helena Close in Marlborough, Harare.
“All the 11 wives are there and still waiting for him.”
However, about seven wives are religiously following their husband’s trial.Gumbura went to jail, leaving behind his 11 adoring wives.Three of his wives, who were pregnant at the time he was jailed, have since given birth. State Media

The Bulawayo High Court has ordered suspended Gweru mayor Hamutendi Kombayi to surrender his official car and the mayoral regalia. The provisional order delivered by Justice Martin Makonese on Tuesday following an urgent chamber application filed by the Gweru City Council aimed at compelling Kombayi to surrender the property.


In court papers, Gweru City Council which is being represented by Jumo Mashoko and Partners is the applicant while Kombayi appeared as the respondent. Hamutendi has 10 days to file a notice of appeal and opposition with the registrar of the High Court if he intends to challenge the order. “Pending the confirmation of the provisional order, the respondent be and is ordered to return the vehicle Mazda BT 50, within 12 hours of service of the order.
The Court also ordered the suspended Mayor to surrender the mayoral regalia within the same period, failure of which the Sherriff, will seize the mentioned properties and return them to the council.
According to affidavits in the court’s possession from the town clerk, Kombayi was served with several letters ordering him to return the said property, but ignored and never bothered himself with any response.
Kombayi, who is still the legal Mayor of Gweru, was suspended by Minister Saviour Kasukuwere together with 11 Councillors, and they have since taken action against their suspension, through their lawyer, Chitere Chidawanyika and Partners.

According to suspension letter signed by the Minister of local government Kasukuwere, Kombayi and the 11 Councillors are not going to receive any salaries or allowances, during this period.

Efforts to get a comment from the suspended mayor were fruitless by the time of going to press, as his mobile kept ringing with being picked.

Zanu PF youths have cash-bombed Kariba, raiding the resort town with demands of $6 each mandatory contributions from the public towards fund raising for the fractious party’s annual conference to be held in Victoria Falls in December.
“They are ordering each person to give them $6 which they claim is for the conference which we will never attend, and they are saying they will deal with those who would not have donated,” said an elderly man from Nyamhunga Township.
A Mahombekombe high density suburb woman who declined to be named confirmed that hoardes of Zanu Pf youths were visiting them and forcing “us” to contribute.
“They are moving with books in which they are recording ID numbers and names of people who would have paid including those who are not complying,” she said.
One of the Youths told ZimEye.com that they want “our” party members to fundraise for the conference as opposed to forcing companies.
“It is not true that we are forcing people to contribute. All the people we are approaching are our party members who we are asking to contribute towards the conference,” she said.
“We have over the years been accused of extorting companies and this year we have taken it upon ourselves that our party members raise funds for the event”.
Simon Khaya Moyo could not be reached to establish if it was the party’s official position to extort the public in the name of fundraising for the conference which has been slated for 7 and 8 December. The party on Thursday held a fund raising dinner in Harare for the conference which they said needs $1 million for its success.

FOLLOWING Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s recent remarks in an interview with the London-based New African magazine that the current army commanders are junior and do not pose a threat to his succession bid, it has emerged Zimbabwe Defence Forces commander General Constantine Chiwenga is now firmly backing the veteran politician to succeed President Robert Mugabe.
At separate briefings this week, senior Zanu PF leaders said initially Chiwenga was vacillating between two camps, one led by Mnangagwa and the other by First Lady Grace Mugabe, because as an appointee of the President as commander-in-chief he has to maintain loyalty to him, and by extension to his wife who is now vastly influential, for survival.
They also said he at the same time also needed to remain loyal to Mnangagwa, a long-time ally and boss dating back to the days of the liberation struggle.
At a rally in March, Mnangagwa described Chiwenga as “our commissar”, apparently referring to his role during the struggle, although it also sounded like a coded message to refer to his current manoeuvres behind the scenes.
“The person I want you to meet is our commissar. Do you know Chiwengwa? … Stand up Chiwengwa so that people can see you,” Mnangagwa said.
Zanu PF’s current political commissar is Saviour Kasukuwere. However, by choosing to support Mnangagwa, Chiwenga has reportedly put his career on the line as Mugabe, now hugely influenced by his increasingly powerful wife, has powers to extend his tenure or terminate his contract.
“Since the December congress last year, there has been a new realignment of forces in Zanu PF and state actors: Chiwenga now firmly supports Mnangagwa, while (Vice-President Phelekezela) Mphoko and others like Defence minister Sydney Sekeramayi are leaning towards Grace. Other senior army commanders however don’t agree with Chiwenga and thus support Grace to remain aligned with the commander-in-chief. Chiwenga is loyal to Mugabe, but by supporting Mnangagwa he risks being seen as anti-Grace, something which currently is politically suicidal,” a senior ruling party official said this week.
“Even if Sekeramayi is known to be an ally of Mai Mujuru (the ousted former vice-president Joice Mujuru replaced by Mnangagwa), he is now slowly but surely aligning himself with Grace to find a new lease of political life after surviving those ruthless purges before, during and after congress. There are also endless others shifts and changes behind the scenes; the two main rival factions are recruiting frantically, while party officials are also ever-changing, seeking safe accommodation. The internal dynamics are very fluid.”
This comes as the First Lady is intensifying her nationwide campaigns whose purpose remains unclear and subject to speculation, although it is widely understood within Zanu PF that she is campaigning to raise her national profile, thus positioning herself to succeed her increasingly frail husband, now 91.
“Grace and her allies’ strategy is to build an alliance spanning Mashonaland and Matabeleland provinces to isolate Mnangagwa to Masvingo and Midlands, and perhaps Manicaland which is up for grabs,” another official said. “That way he won’t have a national profile and electoral grip, leaving him vulnerable to defeat. But Mnangagwa knows that and he is fighting to stop that plan.”
Grace, who is also the Zanu PF secretary for Women’s Affairs, is expected to address a party rally tomorrow in Mnangagwa’s heartland of Masvingo where she will face a stern test to prove she has a strong political following to challenge the veteran politician, one of the three survivors, together with Mugabe and Sekeramayi, from the Zanu PF 1977 Chimoio congress.
Mnangagwa’s appearance at Mucheke Stadium in Masvingo in April did not attract a huge crowd as was expected, although the province and Midlands region are his strongholds. Grace will also be under media and public scrutiny to see whether she will persist to brazenly abuse state resources for political gain.
Initially it was believed that Chiwenga had presidential ambitions, but latest information shows he has dropped that agenda firmly throwing his weight behind Mnangagwa’s camp. “What is now clear is that two factions have crystalised in Zanu PF post-congress. There is now the Mnangagwa and Grace Mugabe factions, which replaced the traditional Mnangagwa versus Mujuru camps,” another senior ruling party official said. “No amount of denials and protests by anyone can change this: we have factions and they are action, sometimes publicly, daily.”
Chiwenga’s latest position comes after Mnangagwa, in an interview with the New African magazine in August, said: “The current army commanders were very young at the time (during the liberation struggle), and I can guarantee you that there is nobody in the army who is of our generation. Those who are heading the military now were junior officers during the struggle because all their commanders have either died or retired.”
Insiders say the Mnangagwa camp is associated with people who believe in a transitional arrangement in which Mugabe should not be a candidate in 2018.
They say Mnangagwa faction’s strategy is to approach the current situation in Zanu PF as a transitional phase. So it has positioned its leader to stay ready to take over from Mugabe if he leaves offices before the expiry of his term in 2018. The faction strongly believes he will leave before 2018.
However, while the Mnangagwa camp is preparing its leader to take over anytime, the clear message from Mugabe and those around him has always been that he is going nowhere.
Insiders say Grace’s G40 group, which includes senior party officials like Jonathan Moyo, Kasukuwere and Patrick Zhuwao, by contrast, believes it is premature to talk about transition from Mugabe’s rule when he is just two years into his new five-year tenure. Moyo has been fearlessly attacking the Mnangagwa group as the battle for political turf and control escalates.  Independent

By Tinoonga Mawere Chiredzi | Former Masvingo Provincial governor, Titus Maluleke’s son, George Hatilani Maluleke, who is a medical doctor has been dragged to court by a Chiredzi woman for maintenance.
Maluleke whose father was the governor for Masvingo province at the height of political tension and mass victimisation of opposition supporters, allegedly impregnated Suzzy Pennot who was an upper six student at the time. Maluleke reportedly coerced the girl at that time by giving her money and presents.
The former governor’s son however denied the allegations claiming the child was not his. Maluleke also told Chiredzi magistrate Gerald Mutsotso he could not afford the $360 which Pennot -now 22 demanded. Maluleke is a beneficiary of the controversial land reform programme since he was allocated a farm by his father.
However it is understood there is virtually no activity at his farm-indicating the chaotic land reform exercise has destroyed meaningful production in the country. Meanwhile Mary Chipo Saidi who is a local advocacy officer for an Non Governmental Organisation concerned about Children’s rights, condemned paedophilic behaviour.
She said girls were falling prey to older men because of pressing social commitments and economic hardships. She added the current social instability has eroded the moral fabric in the country. “We are worried about the increase in the number sexual abuse involving school girls and older men. This is mainly attributed to social and economic problems. We are even disturbed by the fact that a medical doctor is involved in such issues,” said Saidi.

A SECURITY guard at Hwange Colliery Company recently strangled a medical doctor in his surgery after accusing him of writing a wrong report about his previous illness.
This was heard by Hwange magistrate Portia Mhlanga Moyo, when Stephen Gwasha (57) of Baghdad, area in Empumalanga, Hwange appeared before her yesterday charged with assault.
He denied the charge and the matter was remanded to November 9 for continuation of trial.
The complainant, Dr Didymus Ngorora of Airport Crescent, Hwange, is employed as a medical officer at Hwange Colliery Hospital.
It is the State case that on October 12 this year at 11:45am, Ngorora was at work attending to patients when Gwasha came to his office. He accused Ngorora of writing a wrong report about his previous illness, but the doctor denied the claim and asked Gwasha to sit down and clarify his problem.
Gwasha allegedly became violent and Ngorora tried to run out of the office, but Gwasha grabbed him by the neck choking him in the process before pushing him back into the office. Patients who were waiting to be attended heard the scuffle and rescued the doctor. Ngorora sustained bruises on the left arm and was treated at the Hwange Colliery Hospital.
Gwasha was then arrested and charged with assault.SouthernEye

Tendai Biti the leader of the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP) says the troubled Prosecutor General Johannes Tomana should be jailed for refusing to prosecute Zanu PF activists who murdered over 200 opposition supporters in the run up to the bloody 27 June 2008 Presidential runoff election.
According to the MDC over 200 of their supporters were maimed by known Zanu PF activists and security agents.
The party also claimed that thousands more were displaced as a result of the terror which was unleashed on them by President Robert Mugabe’s militia.
The then security chief in the MDC-T Kisimusi Dhlamini compiled a dossier of such victims and names of perpetrators which he presented to the police but was instead arrested.
Last week Tomana was sentenced to 30 day in prison for refusing to release prosecution certificates for Munyaradzi Kereke a Zanu PF MP who is facing charges of raping a minor girl.
He was given the same sentence for also refusing the prosecution of former Telecel chairperson and Jane Mutasa who defraud the telecommunications company $1, 7 million in airtime vouchers.
On Wednesday the state media reported that Tomana was also in trouble for causing the acquittal of Charles Nherera, the former Zupco board chairperson after he was convicted and sentenced for two years.
Tomana and Nherera had worked together at the state enterprise where the he (Tomana) was the company’s legal advisor before the latter committed the crime.
In a statement Wednesday Biti said Tomana must be pressed to compile dockets for the June 2008 political violence perpetrators.
“Tomana refused to act on evidence produced by victims of that year’s political violence, to investigate and compel the police to open criminal dockets to claims the victims made of kidnappings, assault, injuries that were perpetrated by known state security agents and the Zanu PF militia ,”said Biti.
 

President Robert Mugabe’s nephew and one of the key leaders of the secret G-40 grouping, Patrick Zhuwao, has threatened to beat up a vice President Emerson Mnangagwa aide.
Zhuwao made the threats during the launch of the launch of the $10 million Youth Fund in Harare Wednesday, where he was tasked to introduce Tabeta Malinga Kanengoni the Minister of State in vice President Phelekezela Mphoko’s office.
No Tuesday, a youth grouping linked to Mnangagwa the Zimbabwe Youth Action Platform, said it was going to humiliate the G-40 team which include Zhuwao Zanu PF political commissar Saviour Kasukuwere, politburo member Jonathan Moyo and Zhuwao in public.
The Mnangagwa sponsored youths said the three were also disrespecting war veterans and needed to be disciplined.
“You have not been sent by war veterans, do not come tell me that you have been sent by war veterans, if they are genuine war veterans they will come and speak to me as they have always done.
“Do not think that you can come here and threaten me especially at a press conference; if you are courageous come here and I will deal with you.
The Mnangagwa allies said they will bar the G-40 from attending state factions including the National Heroes Acre.
“You say you will not allow me to visit the Heroes Acre where my mother Sabina was buried, are you serious?,” lashed Zhuwao.
“Go back and tell those who you are representing that they should come here to me and I will deal with them,” he said.
Zhuwayo, Kasukuwere, Moyo and Philip Chiyangwa are pushing for Grace Mugabe to succeed her 92 year old husband President Robert Mugabe.
They are fighting against Mnangagwa and Chris Mutsvangwa who lead another faction.

State Media-Prosecutor-General Mr Johannes Tomana is at the centre of another storm for allegedly abusing the court process to rubber-stamp the acquittal of former Zupco board chairman, Professor Charles Nherera, who was charged with corruption.
The abuse reportedly occurred at the time when Mr Tomana was the Attorney General. Prof Nherera was acquitted by the High Court in November 2009, barely a year after Mr Tomana was appointed to the post of then AG.
He had served a two-year prison term. Following his acquittal, Prof Nherera sued businessman Mr Jayesh Shah for malicious prosecution and demanded damages to the tune of $400 000.
But Mr Shah, through his lawyer Advocate Lewis Uriri, applied for absolution from the instance.
Justice Nicholas Mathonsi, in a judgment delivered yesterday, accepted Adv Uriri’s argument that Prof Nherera was “crucified and resurrected by the same office”, and allowed the application.
Mr Tomana invoked provisions of Section 35 of the High Court Act to quash Prof Nherera’s conviction. Under the Act, the quashing of an appeal is made upon the prosecution consenting to the appeal.
“This is a notice that was given by an Attorney-General’s Office under the leadership of someone very close to the case,” said Justice Mathonsi.
The judge noted in his judgment that Prof Nherera was convicted by the criminal court. The conviction, he said, was supported by the prosecution on three separate occasions when Prof Nherera escalated his effort to secure his liberty.
The court noted that Mr Tomana, who is now the PG, was the legal advisor to zupco, which was involved in the criminal prosecution of Prof Nherera at the time, as well as his legal representative in addition to being a board member of zupco.
Further, Justice Mathonsi noted that Mr Tomana testified in defence of Prof Nherera during trial and made it clear that he had no case to answer.
“Despite his spirited efforts, plaintiff was still found guilty and sentenced aforesaid,” he said.
Justice Mathonsi said Mr Tomana was elevated to the position of the then AG in 2008 and when Prof Nherera’s appeal came to the High Court in 2009, he was now in charge of prosecutions.
He said what made the case exceptional was the fact that at the trial court, the prosecution was successful.
The failure, he noted, came at the appeal stage when the State decided to make an about-turn and refused to support the conviction, depriving the appeal court a chance to make its own view on the merits of the appeal.
“The concession came as a surprise because the prosecution had, prior to that, strenuously opposed the appeal on the basis that it was devoid of any merit. The prosecution successfully argued that point before the trial magistrate when bail pending appeal was sought. It also succeeded before the High Court when bail was launched. An effort by plaintiff at the Supreme Court was also successfully repelled by the prosecution.”
Justice Mathonsi also made a finding that even before Prof Nherera was charged, Mr Tomana had in his capacity as a board member made up his mind about the former’s guilty or otherwise.
The judge said Mr Tomana in his capacity as Prof Nherera’s legal counsel sued Mr Shah on behalf of Prof Nherera in HC157/06 for defamation.
“Now as the Attorney-General his office was tasked to defend the interest of the State and protect a conviction the State had fought tooth and nail to accomplish,” he said.
Justice Mathonsi said justice should not only be done but should be seen to be done in this case.
“It cannot be seen to be done in the circumstances under which the appeal was conceded.”
He said for the appeal to proceed in terms of Section 35 of the High Court Act (Chapter 7: 06) it relies on the notice given by the Attorney-General that he does not support the appeal. The judge said the section of the Act did not provide what the judge “should do when he or she does not agree with the notice”.
But then the notice, said the judge, was given by someone very close to the case and who should not have participated at all.
“Accordingly, the involvement of Tomana in that process has tainted the outcome of the appeal to the extent the requirement that the prosecution must have failed cannot be said to have been satisfied.”
In his case, Prof Nherera, who was represented by Adv Thembinkosi Magwaiba, claimed Mr Shah maliciously caused his arrest, prosecution and imprisonment on unfounded corruption charges.
He wanted $100 000 for malicious prosecution and $300 000 for malicious arrest and detention.
Prof Nherera was in 2006 jailed for two years effective for corruption and after completing his sentence, the High Court heard his appeal and quashed the conviction.
He was being charged for allegedly soliciting for a bribe from Mr Shah, who operated Gift Investments, so that his company could be awarded a tender to supply Mazda Swaraj buses to zupco. herald

Three journalists from The Sunday Mail, arrested Monday for publishing an article alleging a senior police officer was involved in poaching activities, posted $100 bail each Wednesday after the State failed to provide compelling reasons to keep them in custody.
In granting them bail, Magistrate Tendai Mahwe ordered Sunday Mail editor, Mabasa Sasa, Investigations Editor Brian Chitemba and reporter Tinashe Farawo, not to interfere with police investigations, reside at their recorded home addresses and report to the police once week until 27 November when their case will be heard.
Their lawyer, James Muzangaza, was elated by the Magistrate’s ruling to free his clients on bail.
“We are obviously excited by the ruling. We were confident that they were going to be granted bail because the charges, as laid out by the State, were wishy washy,” said Muzangaza.
He said h’s proceeding to challenge the constitutionality of the Criminal Law Codification Act, under which the journalists were charged.
MISA-Zimbabwe national chairman, Kumbirai Mafunda, attended the hearing. He says the ruling confirms what the media watchdog has always said were frivolous charges being brought against journalists by the state.
“This goes to confirm what we had said as MISA-Zimbabwe that this was just persecution of these journalists,” said Mafunda. “We are happy about the ruling, especially when we now have a trend developing of journalists being targeted for doing their work.”
National Assembly media and information portfolio committee member, Nelson Chamisa, said it is sad that journalism profession in the country is being criminilised.
The three journalists’ case attracted the attention of colleagues from both the private and public media who thronged the courts Monday in solidarity.
Herald Editor Ceaser Zvayi and senior editors from the Zimpapers group and their reporters, Daily News Editor, Stanely Gama and dozens of reporters from various newspapers, local and international organizations were also in attendance as were MISA officials and Zimbabwe Union of Journalists executive members.
Meanwhile, another Zimpapers Editor, Takunda Mawodza, was yesterday arrested for allegedly asking for a bribe from wealthy businessman Sam Levy. Mawodza was investigating a story in which he alleged Levy was financially bankrolling former Vice President Joice Mujuru’s People First.VOA

Harare businessman and friend of Professor Jonathan Moyo, Phillip Chiyangwa, claims the Higher Education Minister’s daughter Zanele’s body had witchraft concoctions done on it before being handed to the parents.
Chiyangwa forwards this postulation as it emerged that her body was released incomplete the heart for instance having been taken out.
Moyo’s daughter, Zanele, was buried without a heart, The State Media reports. Just days after Zanele was laid to rest in Harare, the Higher and Tertiary Education Minister’s family has been plunged into fresh agony following the disclosure.
A crack team of Zimbabwean detectives probing the student’s death last month in Cape Town broke the news to the minister and his family last week following a second post-mortem conducted in Harare.
President Mugabe and Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko have called for an urgent and thorough investigation into the 20-year-old’s tragic death.
Sources close to the investigation say the family is “extremely distressed” by the findings of Dr Gabriel Alviero Gonzalez and Dr Tsungai Victor Javangwe, both forensic pathologists at Parirenyatwa Hospital in Harare, who conducted a post-mortem examination of Zanele’s body on October 22.
The post-mortem, conducted at the insistence of the family which suspects foul play in Zanele’s death, was the second following another conducted by Dr Sipho Mfolozi at the Salt River Forensic Pathology Laboratory in Cape Town on October 19.
Zimbabwean investigators now believe Zanele’s heart was removed by pathologists during the autopsy in Cape Town and never placed back inside her body before it was released to her family.
Zanele’s body was found lying face-down in the bathroom of her third floor Cape Town apartment on October 17.
She was buried at Glen Forest Memorial Park in Harare on October 23, but the family was only told of the discovery of the missing heart days later after Dr Gonzalez and Dr Javangwe handed their findings to the Criminal Investigations Department, which is leading the Zimbabwe investigation.
Salt River Forensic Pathology Laboratory manager Wayne Mitten declined to comment, after earlier requesting questions to be sent to him through e-mail.
Constable Noloyiso Rwexana, a spokesperson for Western Cape Police, responding to e-mailed questions over their investigation into Zanele’s death, said: “Kindly be advised that this office is not in a position to give you a comment at this stage as the investigation is yet to be finalised.”
Zimbabwe’s national police spokesperson Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba said: “It must be understood that the investigation into Zanele’s death is being conducted by South African police. We don’t have extra territorial jurisdiction but what we’re doing is to assist our colleagues in South Africa. They’re best positioned to comment on the issues you’re raising.”
Zimbabwean investigators have ordered rape, toxicology, histology as well as alcohol and drug tests from samples obtained from Zanele’s body during the second post-mortem in their bid to establish what caused her death.
Zanele’s missing heart has disturbed seasoned doctors who described it as “unheard of”.
Dr Solwayo Ngwenya, the clinical director at Mpilo Central Hospital in Bulawayo, said: “I’ve never heard of a whole body part that is removed and not placed back.
“The only time that a whole body part is removed and not taken back is when it’s used for teaching purposes or for organ donation and of course this is always done with the consent of relatives of the dead person.”
Dr Solwayo, who has been practising for 19 years, explained that when a post-mortem examination is carried out, small amounts of tissue samples are taken from body parts such as the brain, liver, heart, kidney and bowels.
“The tiny samples are put in a small container with water and taken to the lab for the autopsy. It’s almost impossible to see that any body part has been tampered with because the tissue samples are tiny. Every body part should be just as it was before the examination,” he said.
Prof Moyo declined to comment, but family friend Philip Chiyangwa said: “We can’t wrap our heads around what has just happened. We’re still trying to unravel what killed Zanele, and now we must worry about who took her heart and for what reason?”
He said they were battling with several possible scenarios, including negligence by the Salt River Laboratory, an attempt to conceal evidence or even witchcraft.
Described by her sister, Lungile, as a “very happy person who loved to make people laugh” and “very wise for her age”, Zanele was a second-year student at the University of Cape Town and lived off campus.
Her friend Nicole Bento last saw her on Wednesday, October 14, at her apartment.
She was in the company of a Zambian man, Stephen Kenneth Newman Chitobolo (29).
Nicole has told investigators that Chitobolo — whom she had earlier observed smoking cannabis — called her at about 9pm on that same day and said Zanele was “passing out”. He claimed he was leaving for Zambia because his father had died.
Nicole, a high school friend of Zanele’s, was unable to go over to her friend’s apartment because her mother had visited.
She tried to reach Zanele on Thursday and Friday without success until Saturday, October 17, when Zanele’s mother, Beatrice, called from Zimbabwe and instructed her to find a locksmith and get inside the apartment.
Zanele’s door had been locked from inside. On finding her, she was dead and lying in a pool of blood. The building’s caretaker, it is said, pulled Zanele’s body along the floor leaving a trail of blood smear on the bathroom floor.
A small amount of cannabis was also found in one room.
It remains unclear if Cape Town police have been able to interview Chitobolo, who is thought to be the last person to see Zanele alive.
Zanele’s family, according to Chiyangwa, believes Chitobolo holds the answers in solving the mystery of her death.
Investigators in Cape Town have, however, told the family that results of toxicology tests can take up to six years – by which time if criminality is established, it could be near impossible to find suspects and witnesses.
The Salt River Laboratory receives between 10 and 15 bodies daily – around 3 300 bodies a year. This explains the inordinate amount of time it takes to get toxicology test results, a state of paralysis that has made Cape Town an attractive destination for “murder tourism”.
Zanele’s family has also expressed concerns with the police investigation in South Africa after they neglected to ask the laboratory to establish the time of death, which resulted in October 17 – the day her body was found – being listed in her death certificate as the day she died. The fact that when her body was found she was dressed in the clothes she was last seen wearing on October 14, according to her family, makes the conclusion that she died on October 17 an absurdity.
Top Harare lawyer Terrence Hussein, who accompanied Prof Moyo to Cape Town to bring Zanele’s body home, said last week: “It would’ve been better to ascertain [the time of death] scientifically. It gives you an accurate picture of what took place and also when connecting individuals to a scene.
“Now, if you want to question people they can simply escape by saying they weren’t there when Zanele died. You literally immunise all suspects, you give a defence. It’s inconsistent with the strict requirements of a criminal investigation, which this one is.”-State Media, Chronicle

The Zimbabwe Republic Police have charged the  Sunday editor Mabasa Sasa,  and his two reporters Tinashe Farawo and Brian Chitemba with contravening Section 31 (a) (ii) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act (Chapter 9:23) for allegedly publishing or communicating false statements prejudicial to the State.
According to their lawyer, Tuesday, the journalists are expected to appear in court on Wednesday.
The scribes were arrested on Monday after they had published in the weekly a story which fingered top police in the killing of elephants at Hwange National Park.
The police claimed that the journalists published or communicated false statements with the intention or realising that there is a real risk or possibility of adversely affecting the defence or economic interests of Zimbabwe.
THE Zimbabwe National Editors Forum (Zinef) acting chairperson Njabulo Ncube condemned the arrests saying they are barbaric.
“We urge the police to investigate and not to arrest in order to investigate. It is unhelpful and smacks of repression to arrest editors and journalists on issues that are not criminal but is part of their legitimate work, in this particular case, to expose the rot in our society,” said Ncube.
“The police must not cover up for its failures to protect Zimbabwe’s wildlife by threatening the media”.
“There are better and more civilised ways of dealing with such cases than arresting and detaining journalists, for instance, the police could have lodged a complaint with the Voluntary Media Council of Zimbabwe, or sought to engage the editor and his staff for the right of reply ostensibly to set the record straight.
 

Zanu PF Chegutu East law maker Dexter Nduna has been dragged to the courts by the

Zimbabwe United Passenger Company Limited (ZUPCO)  for failing to pay  US$25 000 he owed the  struggling state enterprise for hiring  27 buses he used  during his 2013 election campaign.
ZUPCO filed summons at the High Court claiming US$25 000 allegedly arising from the hiring of buses by Nduna between June and July 2013.
ZUPCO alleges that Nduna requested for 27 buses which he intended to use for transport purposes during his campaigns.
Nduna was expected to pay the hiring fees which varied from trip to trip depending on the distance covered but failed.
Court papers say on the 24th of June 2013, Nduna allegedly hired six buses for Chegutu constituency for a total cost of US$8 000 before hiring six more buses for a rally in Chinhoyi for a total cost of US$9 000 on the 18th of June 2013.
On the 25th of July 2013, he hired seven buses in Chegutu and on the 31st of July 2013, he hired eight buses.
For the 27 buses, he hired he was charged US$34 000 but allegedly paid US$9200 only, leaving a balance of almost US$25 000.
ZUPCO seeks the outstanding US$25 000 plus interest at the prescribed rate of five percent per annum with effect from date of demand until date of payment in full plus costs of the law suit.
 

ZimEye is receiving the latest details from the investigation on how the horrific fire which gutted the Great Zimbabwe monument was started yesterday afternoon.
Well placed officials at the scene have fingered a council employee who they say threw some burning charcoal at three lodges. This instantly set the property aflame and the fire began spreading to the national treasure that is the Great Zimbabwe ruins while simultaneously gutting the workers’ houses. The fire brigade battled to extinguish the fire for hours yesterday.
The accused council employee is reportedly from the local Nemanwa (RDC) Rural District Council. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE –

More to follow…

• 20 workers operate in each ward

By Tinoonga Mawere | Masvingo Controversial politician and Youth, Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment Minister Patrick Zhuwao has declared ghost workers in his ministry will remain at work despite mounting pressure to flush out shadowy civil servants.
Impeccable sources at the ministry’s provincial offices here revealed Zhuwao who is President Robert Mugabe’s nephew, was in Masvingo recently and addressed a closed-door meeting where he reportedly vowed to shield all ghost workers in the ministry.
The government is under pressure from local and international financial institutions -including IMF to cut the number of civil servants in order to get monetary aid. The majority of the ghost workers in the youth ministry are Zanu PF activists being rewarded for campaigning for the ruling party in the past elections.
Zhuwao was reportedly addressing the grievances experienced by the Zanu PF activists who work as ward officers in the ministry since they were afraid of losing their jobs. The treasury is struggling to pay civil servants mainly because of a large salary bill and some government workers including teachers have gone for several months without pay.
A youth officer who spoke to ZimEye.com yesterday said Zhuwao said all ghost workers in the ministry would get maximum protection. “The minister(Zhuwao) …told us everything is under control and nobody will be sacked.
He said the whole issue is about the role played in the past elections .”
 
Although the Provincial Youth Ministry head identified as Mr Machako could not be reached for comment, insiders insist Zhuwao was in Masvingo to address some grievances.
The Youth Ministry reportedly harbours the highest number of ghost workers and up to 20 workers operate in each ward .The treasury is battling to cope with the high number of civil servants but Zhuwao’ s declaration indicates government’s lack of commitment towards purging ghost workers, analysts say.
Thousands of civil servants have even failed to receive their monthly salaries in the past months.

A police officer’s wife yesterday was dragged to court together with three armed robbers whom she is accused of supplying her husband’s uniforms and firearms while acting as their manager. Silethokuhle Nare (37) is jointly charged with Dominic Tichaona (35), Jabulani Nyoni (33), Wonder Mahuni (36), David Hausi (37) and Justice Ndlovu (33). They are facing armed robbery and unlawful possession of firearm charges.
Magistrate Mr Tendai Mahwe remanded them in custody to November 9 for trial. Prosecutor Ms Sharon Mashavira alleged that sometime in October, Tichaona, Nyoni, Mahuni and Nare arranged with accomplices William Vry and Dennis Musochera to rob Charity Mbanje. Nare allegedly knew that Mbanje was to receive $14 000 between October 6 and 9 from members of a social round table club.
They hatched a plan. Nare allegedly stole two sets of her husband’s police uniforms and gave them to Musochera and Nyoni. It is alleged that on October 5 Nare showed the suspected armed robbers Mbanje’s house and how to execute their robbery. The following day, the suspected armed robbers pounced on Mbanje wearing police uniforms and armed with an FN pistol while the others wielded knives.

They threatened Mbanje and her family and force-marched her to her bedroom demanding the cash. They stole two Samsung Note 4 cellphones, Mobicel tablet and three cellphones. After failing to get the money, they allegedly locked Mbanje and her family in the house and fled.
On a separate occasion on October 25, Nare provided Tichaona and Mahuni with her Toyota Raum (registration number ADH 0955) to rob Ministry of Justice and Parliamentary Affairs chief accountant Morees Chalasa Mbewe.
Tichaona, Mahuni and Musochera teamed up and proceeded to Mbewe’s neighbourhood armed with an FN Browning pistol, Okapi knife and machete. They allegedly waited for him when he returned home and forced his family to lie down at gunpoint. They threatened to rape his wife and children if he failed to surrender cash.
They stole $2 560 and several valuables worth $1 960. After locking up the family, the accused slashed Mbewe’s vehicle tyres and fled.
Between September 28 and October 26, detectives received information of cases of armed robbers targeting fuel service stations. The information led to the arrest of Musochera, who was in possession of an unlicensed FN Browning pistol loaded with three rounds of ammunition.
He implicated Nare who had obtained the firearm from Wilfred Jaure and Tatenda Gadzikwa. Musochera  lateranaged to escape from Machipisa Police Station custody and went to  with his accomplices and this led to their arrest.
Nare is represented by her lawyer, Mr Tungamirai Chakurira. – State Media

Furious Members of Parliament from Matabeleland have protested the “ban” of Ndebele in Parliament arguing that it is unacceptable for Ministers to claim they are not conversant with Ndebele which is one of the country’s official languages.  This comes after several occasions when National Assembly Members and Senators who speak Ndebele have been forced to make their contributions in English and now they have complained that this is unfair as their Shona-speaking colleagues are allowed to use their mother language.
Annoyed MPs said since they were being forced to use English, they were doing so in protest. Some MPs and Senators said it was unjust to be forced to contribute and discuss issues in English when Shona-speaking lawmakers were allowed to express themselves better in their own languages.
Recently, Bulawayo Senator Angelina Masuku (Zanu-PF) was forced by Deputy Senate President Chen Chimutengwende to speak in English while posing a question to the Minister of Transport and Infrastructural Development Joram Gumbo.
Chimutengwende said it was improper for Masuku to ask questions in Ndebele since the minister is not a Ndebele. Masuku protested why she was being forced not to use her preferred language.
“Mr President, I will do that in protest because this is a Zimbabwean Parliament and for us as legislators to come here and promote a foreign language and yet we have been voted in by Zimbabwean people phandle laphana besesikhangelana lama ministers (outside there, we would be staring at each saying our ministers) who are Zimbabwean who say they cannot communicate in a Zimbabwean language,” said  Masuku.
“I will do that but in protest and I will request Mr President that our ministers make an effort to be truly Zimbabweans.” Matabeleland South proportional representation MP Priscilla Misihairabwi-Mushonga has faced the same problem s everal times, when she was ordered to speak in English, the most recent time being last Wednesday.
During the National Assembly’s question and answer session, the legislator asked the Minister of Energy and Power Development  Mr Samuel Undenge a question, but the Speaker of the National Assembly Jacob Mudenda ordered her to use English.

“I will just agree, but, it’s painful. I understand Mr Speaker but others speak in Shona and it’s never a problem,” said Misihairabwi-Mushonga.
Misihairabwi-Mushonga told The Chronicle that Parliament should employ translators if it wants to solve the issue of free language expression in the legislature. She said what was surprising was that some ministers who were saying they could not speak Ndebele went to school in Matabeleland.
Mishairabwi-Mushonga said some Ministers were deliberately refusing to speak in Ndebele because they did not want to accommodate other languages. “I have insisted that I will speak in Ndebele and I have realised that some of the Ministers now try responding in Ndebele,” she said.
The legislator said as a matter of principle, ministers should be able to communicate in all indigenous languages. She cited Canadian system of governance saying ministers serving in the government speak French although English is the main language. Mr Mudenda brushed aside the whole issue saying parliament does not force Ndebele-speaking legislators to present their questions in English.
“If they ask in Ndebele we only ask them to repeat the question in English. We don’t force them to speak in English and that is done for clarity purposes,” said Mr Mudenda. The country has 16 official languages.
In July, the former Minister of Transport and Infrastructural Development Obert Mpofu was involved in another language storm when he  responded to a question that was posed in Shona in Ndebele.
Mr Mpofu now the Minister of Macro-economic Planning and Investment Promotion had been quizzed in Shona by Zanu-PF legislator Monica Chigudu on what progress was being made regarding the dualisation of the Harare-Beitbridge Road.
Mr Mpofu responded in Ndebele saying, “Honourable Chigudu ubuze umbuzo oqakathekileyo. Kunzima ukulungisa imigwaqo yonke sikhathi sinye kodwa ngiyathemmbisa ukuthi iMasvingo iyabe siledual road ngesikhathi esifitshane.(Honourable Chugudu you asked a very important question. It’s difficult to fix all roads at once but I promise Masvingo will have a dual carriageway soon).”
After that, Mr Mpofu was told to revert to English for the benefit of other lawmakers. -Chronicle

A 28-year-old woman has appeared in court for allegedly having sexual intercourse with a 14-year-old boy claiming they are a couple. Precious Sibanda appeared before Harare magistrate Mr Hosea Mujaya charged with two counts of aggravated indecent assault. Mr Mujaya remanded her to today for trial continuation. In her defence, Sibanda told the court that the boy made romantic advances to her by passing flirtatious comments about her.
“We had consensual sex. I did not force him to sleep with me and we used protection both times we had sex. This boy has an insatiable appetite for sex which led me to believe he was of age. The only reason why he ended up reporting the matter was due to pressure he was subjected to by his parents,” she said.
Prosecuting, Mr Ephraim Mujaya alleged that sometime in January this year, Sibanda lured the boy into her room. The court heard that Sibanda forced the boy to have sexual intercourse with her using protection. It is alleged that Sibanda threatened the boy not to say anything concerning the matter.
It is the State’s case that in September Sibanda invited the boy again to her house and forced him to have sex with her, this time without protection. The State further alleged teachers at the boy’s school noticed changes in the boy’s behaviour as he had become withdrawn. They allegedly sent the boy back home so his parents could help him.
The boy revealed to his parents that he had indulged in sex with Sibanda and that it had affected him. The boy’s parents reported the matter to the police leading to Sibanda’s arrest. Meanwhile, a Harare man who absconded court after signing summons acknowledging he would appear before it has been ordered in absentia to stop abusing his wife in any way, reports Ivan Zhakata.
The ruling was granted by Harare Civil Court magistrate Mrs Ruth Kamangira after Andrew Nyakabau failed to come to court. His wife, Ennia Mutambirwa, who was seeking a protection order, told the court that Nyakabau physically and verbally abused her and threatened to kill her. “He assaults me and rebukes me using obscene language and starves me of my conjugal rights. I am afraid of going home because he might kill me as he has made several threats to eliminate me,” Mutambirwa said.
She also told the court that Nyakabau was not buying food for the family. Nyakabau was not present to answer to the allegations although he had signed court papers admitting he was aware of the court case. Mrs Kamangira delivered a default judgment ordering Nyakabau from abusing his wife.

Three schoolgirls from Chamboko Village in Seke near Dema Growth Point drowned in Hunyani River where they had gone to swim.
The girls are said to have left home to wash their clothes in the afternoon and decided to swim afterwards.
While swimming, one of the girls realised that her friends were drowning and rushed to the village to alert the elders.
An uncle who rushed to the scene found the girls already drowned.
With assistance from other villagers they managed to retrieve the bodies and alerted Dema police who attended the scene and conveyed the bodies to Chitungwiza Hospital mortuary for post mortem.
ZRP Mashonaland East spokesperson, Inspector Nobert Muzondo confirmed the incident and appealed to the public to avoid letting children playing on water bodies like dams, rivers or wells without supervision.
The deceased have been identified as Bridget Takawira (14), Natasha Charakupa (9) and Beauty Banola (9).
The girls were all students at Marikopo Primary School.-State Media

The Zimbabwe Hospital Doctors Association says Health Minister David Parirenyatwa is plotting a coup against President Robert Mugabe by sabotaging his economic blue print ZIMASSET through denying  the promotion of public health.
The doctors who held their Annual General Meeting in Harare at the weekend  said by looting PSMS funds and ignoring concerns of the country’s  medical sector Parirenyatwa wants nurses and doctors to stage massive demonstrations against government and  cause “genocide”  in hospitals.
They said by so doing the Health Minister was working against his boss, President Mugabe who in his economic blue print Zimasset projects political and economic growth and stability.
“Doctors have suffered for a long time and it now time to say no to slavery and the Association will make sure that no doctor will subsidize the government’s failure to attract and retain medical doctors through working extra unpaid hours,” said the ZHDA in a statement.
The doctors resolved that Parirenyatwa should be forced to resign for abuse of office.
“The minister of Health and Child Care David Parirenyatwa must resign over his failure to address issues affecting doctors and as well as the recent PSMAS saga”.
“Doctors will mobilise for a nationwide petition that shall be submitted to parliament to put pressure on Dr Parirenyatwa and his cabal”.

Masvingo Ousted Zanu PF Provincial chairman Paradzai Chakona who was accused of being expelled Joice Mujuru’s “barmy” has refused to hand over party assets as intra party fighting intensifies.

Chakona who was booted out last week after being accused of being a member of the Gamatox team is reportedly in possession of three party vehicles among other assets.
 
The heated meeting was held at Victoria Primary School last Sunday and party officials spent several hours locked in the meeting- to the shock of junior party members and residents of the ancient city who expected the meeting to address hunger and drought issues currently dogging the community.
 
While the Zanu PF leadership spent several hours fighting along factional battles they to date have done nothing to address problems faced by villagers shifted from the Tokwe Mukosi area. Meanwhile Chakona vowed he would not surrender the assets since he was entitled to them.”
 
There are small minds in the party. I was entitled to those assets but there are people who pre-occupy themselves with trivial issues, said Chakona. According to insiders who attended the meeting Minister of State for Masvingo Province Shuvai Mahofa accused Chakona of being a Mujuru ally.
 
Chakona accused senior party officials of failing to concentrate on productive issues.Brighton Ramusi a local social analyst said the entire nation had been stalled by the anti-Mujuru mantra with nothing in sight as remedy for the economic abyss. “We have had enough of the anti-Mujuru mantra but it is ideal for the ruling party to focus on key issues affecting the nation,”said Ramusi.

HIGHER Education minister Jonathan Moyo says he will pursue a law degree in honour of his late daughter Zanele who had always wished to become a lawyer.
Zanele (20) died under mysterious circumstances in Cape Town a fortnight ago. She was pursuing a Political Science, International Relations and Gender Studies degree at the University of Cape Town.
However, the Tsholotsho North legislator tweeted on Friday that his daughter had wished to become a lawyer and following her death he had decided to study law to honour her wish.
“As one of the three things in Zanele’s honour and because she ultimately wanted to be a lawyer, I’m embarking on an LLB to do what she wanted done,” Moyo tweeted.
“It is food for thought to reflect on the implications of the fact that the only title which God shares with human beings is that of Father!”
At the weekend, Zanu PF National Commissar, Saviour Kasukuwere posted pictures of him with Moyo in a lecture room.
Moyo, Kasukuwere and President Robert Mugabe’s nephew, Indigenisation minister Patrick Zhuwao have enrolled for a law degree with the University of Zimbabwe.
On Thursday, Moyo tweeted that he believed everything happened for a purpose.
“From my faith everything happens for a reason and from my education everything has a cause but in both cases some questions have no answers!” he said.
Speaking at his daughter’s graveside in Harare, Moyo also said he would give his life to God after the devastating loss of his daughter.-SouthernEye

Ten provincial chairpersons were yesterday dazzled by aspiring Zifa presidential candidate Phillip Chiyangwa’s flamboyance and possibly his manifesto as they unanimously endorsed him for the December 5 election during a meeting held in the capital.
The endorsement came barely a few days after Chiyangwa was endorsed by the four regional chairs.
The meeting, as expected, was held at Chiyangwa’s offices along Enterprise Road in Harare and was attended by all the 10 provincial chairpersons, with his campaign strategist Farai Jere also making a surprise visit to address the councillors.
Chiyangwa and Jere took turns to give the councillors a road map of how they intended to breathe life into Zimbabwean football, which is now reeling in intensive care unit.
Speaking after the meeting, Midlands province Zifa chairman Brian Chishanga said they had endorsed Chiyangwa as their presidential candidate.
“We have agreed as provincial chairpersons that we endorse Chiyangwa as our next football leader. We have taken a position that we are all going to vote for Chiyangwa. Remember, there are four votes for our area zones which translate to 14 votes that Chiyangwa has already bagged,” Chishanga said in a telephone interview.
Meanwhile, Chiyangwa told Standardsport that he would need 90 days if elected into office to deal with Zifa debts.
He said his election would be a stepping stone to bigger posts at the continental football body, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and the world football motherbody, Fifa.
“I have no intentions whatsoever to stay as Zifa boss for more than the two years that I have talked about. My aim is to use this as a stepping stone for a bigger post in CAF and Fifa, that’s what I am aiming at. I want to put Zimbabwe on the international map by holding an influential post either at Caf or even at Fifa,” Chiyangwa said.Standard

Mystery hangs over the death of a Bulawayo doctor who was on Thursday night found dead in his car.
The surgeon, Dr Phinot Moyo, 58, employed at Mater Dei Hospital, was discovered by police officers on patrol.
Dr. Moyo’s car was parked on the road-side with one of his legs outside the vehicle.
ZRP Officers say they spotted the car while passing through the area according to State papers.
When they opened the car they found only Dr Moyo inside who they pronounced dead at the scene.
Such deaths are rare in the city and members of the public have expressed doubts that it was of a natural cause.
Bulawayo police spokesperson Inspector Precious Simango told the State Media investigations are on course.
“I can confirm that our officers found a body of an adult man in his vehicle. Investigations are underway to establish what could have killed him. We’re waiting for a postmortem report to direct us how we should proceed with the matter,” said Insp Simango.
She said when police found Dr Moyo’s body, his vehicle’s hazard lights were on.
Dr Moyo’s brother and family spokesperson Liveson Moyo said he was informed about his death at about midnight.
“I received a phone call from the police who inquired if I knew the person whose phone they were using to call me. At first I didn’t realise that it was my brother’s as I was fast asleep but when they called for the second time I realised it was his phone. They then told me that he had passed away and I started calling around informing other family members,” said Moyo.
He said Dr Moyo’s death came as a shock to the family as he did not have any medical condition that could have claimed his life.
“I even asked family members when I came here whether there was anything bothering him but everyone said he was in perfect condition,” he said.
The vice president for Zimbabwe Medical Association Matabeleland region, Dr Wedu Ndebele said the country had suffered a devastating loss.
He described Dr Moyo as a dedicated philanthropist who had a passion for children and development.
Dr Moyo was a children anaesthetist.
“He was a disciplined, hard-working doctor. He was very selfless. You would call him at any time of the day and he would be there to offer his service. His death is a big blow to Bulawayo and the whole southern region as there aren’t so many specialists like him,” he said.
He is survived by a wife and four children, three girls and a boy.
Mourners are gathered at house Number 13 Founders Road, Richmond.

A Zimbabwean man suspected to have raped a donkey told the court on Wednesday that appearing every 14 days was a waste of time as he wants to be sentenced.
He said that if at all he has committed an offence he would rather be sentenced for it sooner rather than later.
Vee Mulilo, 23, is accused of unlawfully having carnal knowledge of a donkey on August 27 at Phuduhudu lands. The donkey is the property of one, Mmoloki Neo.
The state alleges that Mulilo left the donkey with some knee injuries as he had tied it to a tree prior to allegedly raping it. Mulilo told Palapye magistrate, Gofaone Mosweu that it was not possible for him to wait for another 14 days in prison.
“I am always told to wait for 14 days to appear in court and this is a bit tiring as well as frustrating me. I just want things to be done and completed, the whole process is just a waste of my time. Furthermore, I do not know the reason why I am in prison. I want to be sentenced as soon as possible if at all there is something wrong that I have done,” said Mulilo.
Mulilo was denied bail because he is in Botswana illegally and does not have travelling documents. In addition he has been working in Botswana without a working permit since August 2014. State prosecutor, Inspector Ditsapelo Emmanuel, applied for Mulilo to be further remanded in custody while still waiting for the results from the forensic laboratory.
Emmanuel said: “We are still waiting for the results from the forensic laboratory, we expect them to be ready by November 2, 2015. So we apply
for the accused to be further remanded in custody. We are hopeful that we will be ready with the results after 14 days”.
Mosweu explained to the accused that it was not possible to sentence him while the investigations are still ongoing. She said the results from the forensic laboratory are part of the investigations so the court could not go on with sentencing him without such evidence.
“It will also be unlawful to skip other court procedures and jump into sentencing you without even taking your plea. Let’s wait for the results, that is when we will take your plea and continue with case management and then trial,” she said.
In another matter, yet another Zimbabwean national Raymond Mafuta, 34, accused of rape, pleaded with magistrate Mosweu to allow him bail so that he can go and re-assemble his clients’ car gearboxes.
He said he left them in pieces hence his customers are unable to get their cars back as they lack other parts.
In response to his plea, Mosweu told Mafuta that it was not possible to release him from prison only because he wants to complete his personal things.
She said it would mean that all accused persons who have been remanded in jail would also be released to go and complete their works. Mosweu advised Mafuta to make an application to the High Court if he was not satisfied with the answer.
Both accused persons appeared in person and they will appear again for mention on November 11, 2015. Mmegi

A 56-YEAR-OLD man who is a father of 11 children stole 22 poles valued at $110 from his 91-year-old neighbour in a bid to raise money to pay school fees for his children.
But owns 20 cattle
Nhlanhla Siwela of Dombodema area in Bulilima told the court that his children were being continuously sent home from school and he was struggling to raise the money.
Siwela who also revealed that he owned 20 cattle said eight of his children were at school while the other two were not employed.
“I stole the poles as I wanted to sell them in a bid to raise money for my children’s school fees. I earn a living through piece jobs which I perform as a builder but the money is hardly enough for me to sustain my large family.
“My children were being persistently sent home from school and I needed the money urgently. I have 20 cattle but they are with a relative who stays far from my homestead which made it difficult for me to access one on time,” said Siwela.
He pleaded for the court’s leniency after citing that he was the sole breadwinner at his homestead.
Siwela was convicted by Plumtree magistrate, Mr Gideon Ruvetsa for theft. Mr Ruvetsa sentenced him to 12 months imprisonment of which six months were suspended for five years on condition that he does not within the period commit an offence of the same nature. The remaining six months were further suspended on condition that he performs 210 hours of community service at Dombodema Clinic.
Prosecuting, Mr Clemence Shawarira said Siwela stole 22 metal poles belonging to Moses Ngwenya on 8 October in the middle of the night and nothing was recovered.-SundayNews

Minister Obert Mpofu’s property in Newlands was raided yesterday morning by unknown men.
The same people are also understood to have attacked a High Court judge’s house as well. One person has been arrested. Details are still sketchy but sources close to Mpofu said two police details were injured and hospitalised due to the attacks, the first of which was at the minister’s premises in Newlands, Harare.
Indications are several men, using BMW and Toyota Mark II vehicles, gained entry into Mpofu’s premises after duping a police guard into allowing them in. They assaulted the officer before allegedly proceeding to the High Court justice’s house, where they again assaulted a cop stationed there.
Investigations are going on.-Sundaymail

A BULAWAYO motorist has been hauled before the courts for labelling police officers at a roadblock as “uneducated, silly and empty-headed.”
Shepard Mandi (33) of Entumbane was not asked to plead to the charge of undermining the authority of a police officer when he appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Charity Maphosa on Wednesday.
The court heard that on October 13 at 9:15am Mandi was driving his Honda Fit along 3rd Avenue Extension into town when he was stopped at a road block by a police officer who asked him to produce his driver’s licence.
Mandi said he had lost it and the police officer asked him why he did not have temporary identification in place. The accused then allegedly went ballistic and started shouting at the police officer telling her that she was an uneducated officer who does not know what she was doing, but just wanted money from him.
Another police officer, who was in charge of the team approached Mandi trying to control the situation.
But Mandi allegedly shouted at her saying she should get away and was a “silly” police officer.
He allegedly went on to say police officers wearing uniforms had “nothing in their heads” and are just animals.
He was later arrested.-SouthernEye

Staff Reporter | King Bhunane 3 of South Africa and members of the Zulu royal family this morning quietly made their way into the country via Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo Airport in Bulawayo.
Sources at the international airport confirmed to media that the King of the Hlubi people of South Africa who are subjects of Zulu king Goodwill, Zwelithini sneaked into the country as Zwelithini’s emissary. Media was recently a awash with news that King Zwelithini was on his way to the country an issue which was met with massive resistance from Zimbabweans following the king’s sentiments about the influx of foreigners in South Africa leading to xenophobic attacks against foreigners by South African nationals.
The resistance by Zimbabweans caused the organisers of the trip to abandon the king’s trip to Zimbabwe. It is also believed that the Zimbabwean government was not in a position to sanction Zwelithini’s visit to the country after Zwelithini described President Robert Mugabe as a failed father who can not take care of his children as Zimbabweans flock into South Africa in millions as economic refugees.
The royal families are believed to be in the company of Gwanda born South Africa based business tycoon Justice Maphosa who is bank rolling the Gwanda Gospel Extravaganza at a cost running into millions of Rands.