GWERU – Vincent Chikombe, a Kwekwe prosecutor who in March was jailed for four years for receiving bribes, has been brought back to court on fresh corruption charges.
Chikombe appeared before Gweru magistrate Kudakwashe Canady last week on charges of receiving a $1,700 bribe from Phillip Mitela (39) of Redcliff, who was brought to him facing gold theft charges.
Mitela was sentenced to pay a $500 fine or four months in prison of which six months were suspended on condition he paid a restitution of $2,400. On June 29, he went to Kwekwe magistrate court intending to pay $1,200. He was intercepted by Chikombe who took the money saying he would later give him a receipt. On July 4 Chikombe phoned the complainant to bring $300, which he allegedly pocketed. Mitela was issued with a warrant of arrest on the 18th July and was asked by Chikombe to bring $200.
On August 22 Mitela was arrested for defaulting payment and imprisoned for a week. He was released after paying the restitution money, and reported the matter to police. The matter was postponed to the 20th July after Chikombe, who denies the charge asked for more time to make his application for discharge. – Brenna Matendere
Home seekers lose $49,000
A Harare businessman allegedly defrauded 82 home seekers in Lower Gweru and got away with $49,000.
Tafadzwa Darlington Chitsaka (39) of Marlborough, Harare, the director of Foundation Housing Development Trust, faces 82 counts of fraud. Magistrate Mildred Mutuvi heard from prosecutor Bornwell Balamanje that sometime in 2009, the accused and a colleague, Tuhwe Marobora, who is still at large, approached Iziah Mudzengi, owner of Bucks farm along Lower Gweru road.
They allegedly said they were land developers interested in developing his farm into residential stands. In June 2011, Chitsaka and his colleague established their office in Gweru and started advertising stands at Bucks farm to the public without Mudzengi’s knowledge.
The accused allegedly persuaded people to complete stop order forms to have money deducted from their salaries or pay cash at the Gweru office for the stands, and received $49,250.
On July 9 Mudzengi got wind that the duo were selling stands at his farm and informed police. Chitsaka, through his lawyer, Evidence Gonese, denies the charges, saying he entered into a memorandum of understanding with Mudzengi to develop the stands. The trial starts on August 9. Chitsaka is on $500 bail. – Brenna Matendere
MDC-T youths in court for Madzore demo
The MDC-T Youth Wing Treasurer for Midlands, Livingston Chiminya, and four other party leaders have been dragged before the courts for staging a demonstration to press for the release of National Chairman, Solomon Madzore, who is in custody for allegedly murdering a police officer.
Madzore and 28 other party activists have been in custody since late last year. Chiminya and his counterparts, Moses Mikaele ( Gweru Urban Youths Chaiperson), Tendai Munhamo (Chiundura Youths Chairperson), Edmore Masepa
(Gweru Urban Organising Secretary) and Silas Mhere on Friday appeared before Magistrate Pathekile Msipa facing charges of demonstrating unlawfully.
It is the state’s case, led by prosecutor Michael Mhene, that on January 20 the five embarked on an unlawful political demonstration. Represented by Gweru lawyer Reginald Chidawanyika, the youths deny the allegations, saying police were informed of the demonstration. They are out of custody on $50 bail. Magistrate Msipa postponed the case to 27 August.
Chiminya was in court last week accused of inciting public violence together with Mkoba MP and former Deputy MDC-T National Youths chairperson, Amos Chibaya.
The MP is on record saying police are fabricating cases against MDC-T’s vibrant youth leaders in an bid to weaken the party. – Brenna Matendere
Delta Beverages swindled
HARARE – A Delta Beverages employee who allegedly swindled the company of more than $47,000 has appeared in court facing fraud charges. Clemence Verenga (37) appeared before Harare magistrate Anita Tshuma, who granted him $200 bail.
Prosecutor David Magwegwe alleged that during the period from July 24 last year to March 24 this year Verenga on 14 occasions made a misrepresentation into the company’s system by posting fictitious figures to idle codes of beer packs. The figures he posted were equivalent to the products which would have been stolen. It is further alleged that the idle codes were no longer used and were suppressed in the system. The case resumes on July 31. – Talent Bhachi
Poachers nabbed
HARARE – Five suspected poachers were arrested in Harare last Friday and police recovered 107kg elephant tusks worth over $26 000. Chaita Enock Mahoya (41) of Belvedere, Farisai Mudzimba (38) of Greencroft, Nkosilathi Sibanda (18), Samson Muterekwa (45) of Kuwadzana and Wilson Mazwi of Warren Park were arrested by detectives from the Border Control and Minerals Unit after a tip off. Detective Assistant Inspector Zeldah Chidede said detectives recovered 16 elephant tusks packed in a grain bag and placed at the back compartment of the accused’s vehicle.
The five implicated a woman called Marima. The 107kg elephant tusks worth $26,750 were taken to the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority for further investigations. – Talent Bhachi
$900,000 diamond theft judgement
MUTARE – A Mutare magistrate is this week expected to pass a judgement in the case of Sgt Eliphas Dube who is accused of stealing diamonds worth about $900,000 from the police exhibit room.
The state and defence counsel made their submissions on the case last Tuesday. Charges are that Dube, while exhibits officer in charge of minerals at Mutare Police Station, took diamonds from the station’s mineral unit offices between 10 February and 18 April this year.
Dube was responsible for keeping keys to the exhibit room and by that the state considers him the chief suspect in the theft case. Central Investigation Department Minerals Unit conducted an inspection at the station after a tip off. More than 13,000 carats were found missing, leading to Dube’s arrest. – Talent Bhachi
Mines Commissioner applies for discharge
GWERU – Regional Mines Commissioner Wedzerai Musvazi Dube, accused of unlawful possession of gold, has applied for discharge at the Gweru magistrates’ court.
Dube, represented by Kwekwe based lawyer Sherperd Maupa of Maupa and Associates, told Gweru magistrate Auxillia Chiumburu that the state had failed to convince the court beyond reasonable doubt that a crime had been committed.
The state led by prosecutor Bornwell Balamanje argues that in 2009, police detectives raided Dube’s residence after a tip off that he was involved in corruption. They found 200g of gold in his pantry.
In April last year Dube was suspended by the mines ministry after he had been accused of unprocedurally awarding a mining licence to a consortium of 10 prospectors who intended to mine diamonds at a farm owned by a local farmer Migel Caspar Govner in Somabhula.
Chiumburu, presently presiding over criminal cases in Beitbridge, is expected to deliver a ruling upon her return. – Brenna Matendere
Post published in: News