BULAWAYO - The trial of Zanu (PF) politburo member Joshua Malinga (pictured), who is facing charges of undermining the authority of the police, will begin next week after a city magistrate dismissed his application for the case to be referred to the Supreme Court.Malinga maintained that, by charging him five months after the alleged offence, the State was violating his right to be informed of the offence within a time frame that enabled him to defend himself
Magistrate Sithembiso Ncube disagreed, saying: Police could still have been investigating a complaint that an offence had been committed. As part of that investigation, applicant (Malinga) was afforded an opportunity to give his account when he was interviewed by the police on the day of the alleged commission of the offence.