Mutonhori murder – family demands justice

told The Zimbabwean this week that the Mutonhori docket had disappeared and that the evidence had been seriously tampered with.
In correspondence to Attorney General Sobusza Gula-Ndebele and also copied to President Robert Mugabe, a family spokesman states that they have, over the past four years, eagerly awaited a cabinet reshuffle that could move the Home Affairs chief to another portfolio to enable the opening of investigations into their relative’s murder.
The family wrote amid reports that President Mugabe was due to overhaul his “Development Cabinet” soon after returning from his annual holiday. Mugabe was said to be drafting a new list of cabinet ministers as he moves to get rid of dead wood in his cabinet.
Relatives told The Zimbabwean that progress on the high profile murder case had been thwarted since 2002 when Mohadi was appointed Home Affairs minister.
Mohadi was the prime suspect in the 1999 murder of Mutonhori, alleged to have been having an extra-marital affair with the minister’s wife, while they were both employed by a non governmental organisation in Bulawayo.
Mutonhori disappeared in mysterious circumstances from Omadu Hotel in Maphisa, Kezi, where he was said to have been seen in the company of Mohadi’s wife. His remains were later found at a remote spot in Mzingwane District, outside Bulawayo.
Mohadi was interviewed by the police in connection with the murder.
A spokesman for the Mutonhori family, who declined to be named for security reasons, said police last contacted them in connection with the investigations into the murder in 2002. They told the family they had interviewed Mohadi.
“Ever since his appointment to the Ministry of Home Affairs, the case just died,” said the family spokesperson. “We have reason to believe he murdered our son. He was recently on trial for threatening (Zanu (PF) Matabeleland South chairman Lloyd) Siyoka at gunpoint. Justice delayed is justice denied,” he said..
The spokesperson claimed some members of the family were harassed by unidentified people shortly after Mutonhori’s murder. Sources say that following the appointment of Mohadi to the Home Affairs portfolio, the matter was transferred from Matabeleland South to the Special Investigating Branch at the Police General Headquarters (PGHQ) in Harare. The officer investigating the case, Asst Commissioner C R Gora, on Monday switched off his cellphone when contacted for comment on the progress of investigations into the case.
The police department falls under the Minister of Home Affairs, which Mohadi is in charge of.
Reached for comment Mohadi said : “I do not understand what these people want from me. The Mutonhori family is free to contact me or my lawyers, instead of communicating with me through the Press.”
He denied that he had interfered with investigations into the murder case.
Mohadi was elevated from Deputy Minister of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing to the post previously held by the ruling Zanu (PF) party national chairman, John Nkomo in 2002 when President Mugabe announced what he termed a “War Cabinet.”
He is a former member of Zipra, the armed wing of PF Zapu during the war, led
by Joshua Nkomo, the late former Vice-President. – Own correspondent