Chikombe was slapped with a four year jail term in March by magistrate Douglas Vengai Chikwekwe for receiving bribes. A fortnight ago he was back in court facing fresh charges after a Kwekwe man, Phillip Mitela, accused him of taking a $1 700 bribe in June last year.
Last week Chikombe filed an application of discharge over his conviction in the previous case. It was his submission that magistrate Chikwekwe had convicted him for criminal abuse of office yet he had already been suspended as a prosecutor by the Judicial Service Commission. Chikombe also sought to stop further prosecution on the fresh charges on the same basis.
However, magistrate Kudakwashe Canady has thrown out the appeal. She gave consent to the state’s opposition led by prosecutor Yeukai Mugumba saying there are reasonable grounds to believe that he committed the alleged crime.
Prosecutor Mugumba is now expected to gather facts on the latest allegations before the case goes to trial.
Post published in: News