The trial of Hon. Elton Mangoma Mupamhanga is the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Energy and Power Development. Hon. Mangoma is facing fake charges of abusing his public office as a minister by authorising fuel purchase from South Africa early this year. The trial failed to kick of yesterday after prison officials said the minister could not come to court as they did not have fuel.
The trial resumes tomorrow at the High Court at 10:30 AM.
Meanwhile, some of the 30 MDC youths picked up at gun point by the police this week in Trenance are still being held at Saucertown Police Station. However, we have not been able to fully establish how many remain detained as the youths are being released one by one. The police have begun charging them false charges of theft and political violence.
The MDC Matebeleland North provincial chairperson Sengezo Tshabangu has been remanded to 6 May 2011 on a US$100 bail by a Hwange magistrate only identified as Madiba. He was arrested on Sunday ate the Hwange MDC offices on charges of holding an illegal meeting although they were in possession of a High Court endorsing the meeting. Another MDC member, Oliver Chitumba who was arrested in Hwange on Saturday refusing to sign the anti-sanctions petition was remanded to 29 April on a US$100 bail, by a Hwange Magistrate Munamati.
In Plumtree, Zanu PF officials are duping hungry villagers with drought relief maize to sign to petition. In recent incidents in Mangwe district tonnes of maize were displayed at a Zanu PF sanctions petitioning station and villagers were told that their signatures would earn them a bag of maize. However, those who signed did not receive the maize as it was taken away to be used as a pawn in other districts.
The MDC Today – Issue 176
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