FORMER First Lady Grace Mugabe’s son from another marriage, Russell Goreraza , who parted ways with his wife, Gladys Chiedza (nee Chiwaya) in November last year, is set to lose property following his failure to settle a $970 legal fees bill.

According to the court papers, when Goreraza filed for divorce against Gladys in 2015, the parties signed a consent agreement in which Russell agreed to foot the legal costs of the suit which eventually amounted to $969,90 as awarded by the court on November 23 last year.

•  BREAKING NEWS:Grace Mugabe’s Son In Freak Accident , All Three Posh Cars Badly Damaged In Botswana

However, efforts by Gladys’s lawyers, Sibanda and Partners, to recover the money proved futile prompting the law firm to approach the court for recourse and a writ of execution was issued on January 18 this year.

The writ, signed by the Registrar of the High Court, read in part: “To: The Sheriff of Zimbabwe or his lawful deputy: You are required to attach and take into execution the movable property of Russell Goreraza the above-mentioned plaintiff of Number 22 Kent Road, Chisipite, Harare, and of the same cause to be realised the sum of $969,90 for the above-mentioned plaintiff being costs of suit on party-party scale awarded by judgment of this court dated November 23, 2017 in the above-mentioned suit…”
According to the court papers, the former First Lady’s son filed for divorce against Gladys in 2015 and the matter was only heard in November last year after the parties agreed to part ways.

• Grace Mugabe’s Son Under Arrest At Plumtree Border Post

Goreraza claims he and Gladys had irreconcilable differences and were incompatible with each other to the extent that they had not lived as husband and wife for the past two years.

After receiving the summons, Gladys, through her lawyer Donald Sibanda, entered an appearance to defend in December 2016 and on March 23, 2017 she signed consent papers bringing an end to the couple’s holy matrimony.

In the consent papers, Goreraza also undertook to support his minor child by paying $500 per month as maintenance and also being responsible for the child’s school fees and medical aid while the custody of the minor would remain with Gladys.

A ZIMBABWEAN man has been convicted of defrauding the Royal Darwin Hospital of almost $150,000.

Mr John Zvimba, 44, has pleaded guilty to the crime. He was taken away to Holtze Prison on remand after making his guilty plea.

 

The offence was committed between September 2016 and March 2017.

The court heard that Zimba is the son of a former Harare police commissioner, and faces deportation after serving his term.

The offence was committed during the time when he held a senior job at the hospital. He allegedly awarded an electric maintenance contract to an alleged co-offender, which was paid for but never done, the NT News reports.

The fake job cost the taxpayer $148,031, the report says.

Justice Judith Kelly said: “It seems to me that he tried to wriggle out of it right up until the point when he had been charged and realised the game was up.”

Justice Kelly said Zvimba had taken responsibility for his actions by pleading guilty, but that there was no evidence of his remorse.

Barrister John Adams, defending, said Zvimba was ashamed of what he had done.

“He can’t explain it,” Mr Adams said. “All I can offer to your honour is he is well educated.

“He can’t explain it, I can’t explain it.”

Justice Kelly will sentence Zvimba on February 2, the report says.

Woes continue to mount for Home Affairs minister, Obert Mpofu after businessman, Lovemore Kurotwi reported him to the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) for alleged abuse of office and plunder of Marange diamonds.

BY XOLISANI NCUBE

This comes as parliament says it is leaving no stone unturned in its probe of the $15 billion missing diamond money with Mpofu set to be grilled by the portfolio committee on Mines and Energy.

In a report filed with ZACC on January 22, Kurotwi alleges that Mpofu took 1,34 million carats of diamonds belonging to his firm and were in custody of the Minerals Marketing Corporation of Zimbabwe and converted them into personnel benefit.

“We write to request that you investigate the current minister of Home Affairs, Obert Mpofu over known corruption which he has committed but which now seems to be swept under the carpet either for reasons of ignorance of the said corruption by the relevant authorities or reasons of impunity or both,” Kurotwi wrote.

Kurotwi used to run Canadile Miners but was kicked out of Chiadzwa after he was arrested for fraud before being acquitted by the High Court.

In the letter to ZACC, Kurotwi narrates the alleged $10 million bribe that Mpofu allegedly demanded in return for mining concessions in Chiadzwa, an issue he allegedly raised before former president Robert Mugabe.

After reporting Mpofu to Mugabe then, Kurotwi claims he was arrested for fraud but the case could not stick as it was being concocted by the minister.

“During the time my so called fraud case was still subjudice, Mpofu further took advantage to the subjudice position and confiscated, 1,4 million carats of our diamonds which were in our vaults in Mutare, $10.6 million which was in the custody of the Minerals Marketing cooperation of Zimbabwe,” Kurotwi stated.

He said effort to repossess the money and diamonds have yielded nothing with officials in the ministry all professing ignorance on the whereabouts of the same—excerpt for Mpofu.

“There is reasonable suspicion that cash and stock of diamonds could have been converted to personal use and gain by Mpofu,” the report letter states.

Two weeks ago, Kurotwi reported Mpofu to President Emmerson Mnangagwa over the same issue.

Mpofu has persistently denied corruption allegations levelled against him instead suggesting that Kurotwi had no capacity to buy even a bottle of water for him as he was only a front for foreign business interests.

The issue also comes as the committee on mines and Energy development said it was launching a probe into the operation of mining firms that were in Marange and how ministers who superintended over the sector had become rich while they were in charge.

The Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) says there has been a 400 percent increase in the number of reported corruption cases, including a complaint over former First Lady Grace Mugabe’s PhD Degree awarded by the University of Zimbabwe, filed by local people since December last year.

Dr Grace Mugabe … The First Lady at her graduation ceremony Friday

• Grace Mugabe Fake PhD Author Who Lists “Academic Writing” As Core Skill Leaves Digital Trail

ZACC member, Goodson Nguni, told VOA Studio 7 that there is no time frame in which they will start working on Mrs. Mugabe’s case, which is placed 218^th in a list of hundreds of complaints filed by various people.

• Grace Mugabe’s plan to remove fleet of supercars from Zimbabwe hampered by cows

Nguni said some lecturers at the University of Zimbabwe filed the complaint against Mrs. Mugabe, who fell from grace after the Zimbabwe Defence Forces teamed up with then fired Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa and toppled her husband, Robert Mugabe.

• Botswana Police Finally Speaks On Grace Mugabe Supercars Accident

The University of Zimbabwe has just released Mrs. Mugabe’s thesis titled ‘Changing social structure and functions of the family: The case of children’s homes in Zimbabwe’.

The thesis bears the name of G. Ntombizodwa Marufu (Grace Ntombizodwa Mafuru). Indications are that she changed her surname soon after marrying the President Mugabe in 1996.

She was awarded the PhD in 2014 and was capped by Mr. Mugabe in a move that triggered demonstrations by students who demanded to know details of her study program, claiming that the doctorate was fake.

Mrs. Mugabe has not yet responded to these claims.

Former secretary general of the Zimbabwe National Students Union, Makomborero Haruzivishe, urged ZACC to thoroughly investigate the manner in which the doctorate was awarded, claiming that Mrs. Mugabe’s degree has tarnished the image of the University of Zimbabwe.

Several commentators also noted that the University of Zimbabwe needs to tackle this issue in order to clear its name. Students and lecturers claim that university standards have gone down due to the awarding of the PhD.

Mrs. Mugabe was not available for comment.

HARARE High Court judge Justice Davison Moses Foroma has ordered Econet Wireless (Pvt) Ltd to reimburse $128 000 erroneously billed on its agent and customer, Antolice Enterprises (Pvt) Ltd’s recharge cards credit account.

Entrepreneur Strive Masiyiwa

BY CHARLES LAITON

Foroma gave the order after Antolice approached the court for recourse, arguing that its account for a credit facility had been tampered with and fraudulently billed by Econet employees.

The telecommunications firm’s employees later claimed payment of the cash which they converted to their own use, the court heard.

The fraudulent activity was exposed in 2011 when Econet filed a $20 020 lawsuit against Antolice Enterprises, seeking payment of some recharge cards which it claimed the latter had not settled.

In response to the litigation, Antolice Enterprises also filed a counter claim, accusing Econet Wireless of having demanded and accepted $128 200 for some recharge cards which it had never placed an order for and were never delivered.

“During the trial it was conceded by the plaintiff’s (Econet) witness (Mlungisi Dube) that the plaintiff’s employees could abuse the customers (dealers) credit facility as happened… the sum total of the observations including the foregoing comments do not establish on a balance of probability that the defendant (Antolice) collected the goods as per disputed invoices; this in particular if it is born in mind that the plaintiff’s employee Morgan Maganje was found guilty of abuse of a dealer credit facility,” High Court judge Justice Davison Moses Foroma said.

According to the court papers, one Kudakwashe Garutsa, who was alleged to have collected the recharge cards from Econet Wireless on behalf of Antolice on three different occasions, disputed that his company ever placed the said orders and neither did it collect the purported goods.

In his judgment Justice Foroma said: “Kudakwashe Garutsa gave evidence that plaintiff debited the defendant with three invoices which defendant subsequently discovered it had not collected stock for neither had defendant placed an order for the stocks allegedly supplied.”

“Thus although defendant paid for these invoices in the normal course of business on investigation defendant realised that it had incorrectly been debited with the cost of the said stock…..Garutsa also disputed the signatures on the three invoices in dispute as not being his.”

In support of its claim Econet Wireless had called the evidence of its credit controller, one Dube, who apparently when the invoices were allegedly raised in 2011; he was not part of the Econet employees.

But, Justice Foroma said Dube himself conceded during the trial that his firm’s employees could abuse the customer’s credit facility.

“In the circumstances I find that the defendant has proved its claim on a balance of probabilities. Subject to plaintiff’s right of set off in respect of the admitted claim of $20 020…it is ordered that plaintiff pay defendant $128 200,” he said adding Econet should also pay interest and cost of suit.-Newsday

BUHERA South MP Joseph Chinotimba (Zanu PF) and his son, Edwin, have been taken to court by former Chipinge farm owners H De Foiard Brown (Pvt) Ltd, who are demanding over $842 000 in compensation for their seized land.

BY CHARLES LAITON

H De Foiard Brown (Pvt) Ltd filed the summons last week accusing Chinotimba and his son of forcibly evicting them and in the process causing them a huge financial loss.

In his particulars of claim H De Foiard Brown said prior to January 28, 2015 he was carrying out farming activities on Chihosa of Subdivision A of Excelsior of Hofstede measuring 164,00 hectares, in Chipinge.

“On January 28, 2015, first and second defendants (Chinotimba and son) forcibly removed plaintiff (H De Foiard Brown) and its employees from the property when they had no right to do so. Second defendant (Edwin) remains in occupation of the property,” they said.

“As a result of the wrongful eviction of plaintiff, plaintiff has suffered damages in the sum of $842 400 being the prospective income, which plaintiff would have earned, but for the wrongful eviction by the defendants.

“Wherefore plaintiff claims for damages against the defendants jointly and severally one paying the other to be absolved in the sum of $842 400 together with interest thereon calculated at the rate of 5% per annum from the date of service of summons to date of full payment plus cost of suit.”

Chinotimba and his son, who is into macadamia nuts farming, are yet to enter an appearance to defend.

Sulumani Chimbetu has been convicted for defaulting for paying maintenance for his two children and former wife Marigold.

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He has been sentenced to five months in prison by Magistrate Amanda Muridzo. The sentence was wholly suspended on condition that he pays $300 before the end of the day(31.01.2018)

…more follows

Ex- Mines Minister Walter Chidhakwa has been remanded to 19 February 2018 by Magistrate Rumbidzai Mugwagwa. Sebastian Mutizirwa prosecuted

And in another case  , a  Harare Magistrate has relaxed bail conditions for former NetOne boss Reward Kangai. Kangai now reports once every week and will be back in court on 26 February 2018.

Justice Priscilla Chigumba has been appointed the new Zimbabwe Electoral Commission Chairperson. She is being sworn in tomorrow morning at 10AM @ the State House.

A HIGH Court judge yesterday renewed calls for the enactment of a law that approves castration as punishment for paedophiles. Bulawayo High Court judge Justice Francis Bere made the remarks as he dismissed an appeal against sentence by Sikunda Dube (57) of Plumtree. Dube is serving 20 years in jail for raping and impregnating his neighbour’s 16-year-old daughter.

Bulawayo High Court judge Justice Francis Bere

Justice Bere, sitting with Justice Martin Makonese during a criminal appeals court condemned men who abuse young girls to quench their sexual appetites, saying perpetrators deserve to be castrated.

The judge’s castration call comes two years after he said wealthy rapists should be forced to part with some of their assets and money, which should go towards paying medical bills and rehabilitation of victims in addition to stiff jail terms. “You may have destroyed the victim’s future by raping and impregnating her resulting in her being a mother at a tender age. The victim is now facing a burden of single handedly raising the baby.

“Paedophiles that go around sexually abusing minors should be castrated as some form of punishment, which is what legislators are calling for. The court will, therefore, not interfere with the sentencing of the court a quo. Accordingly, the appeal against sentence is dismissed,” ruled Justice Bere.

Dube, who was a self-actor, filed an appeal before Justice Bere challenging his sentence citing the State as the respondent. Dube of Tshibako Village under Chief Bango area was in 2015 convicted of rape by Bulawayo regional magistrate Mrs Sibongile Marondedze and sentenced to 20 years in jail two years of which were conditionally suspended for five years.

In his grounds of appeal, Dube argued that the sentence was too harsh and induced a sense of shock. “The sentence is too harsh and needs to be reviewed. I am a family man, who is also a widower and a sole breadwinner looking after my five children. May justice be tempered with mercy and I pray that the appeal against sentence succeeds,” said Dube.

The State through Mr Whisper Mabaudhi opposed the appeal, arguing that the magistrate did not misdirect herself when she exercised her sentencing discretion. “Appellant was a neighbour to the victim. To compound his blameworthiness, the victim suffered from mental illness and as a result of the rape, the girl became a mother at a tender age,” he said.

Mr Mabaudhi said aggravating circumstances outweighed mitigatory factors. The court heard that sometime in July 2013 at around 6pm, the complainant was herding goats near Dube’s homestead when the accused approached her from behind and grabbed her.

Dube then forced the girl to lie on the ground before he removed her clothes and raped her. He threatened to assault the victim if she reported the matter to anyone before freeing her. The victim did not reveal her ordeal to anyone and the matter came to light when she started developing pregnancy symptoms.

On being quizzed by her uncle and mother she disclosed the rape. A report was made to the police leading to Dube’s arrest. In 2015 Senators, in their quest to end child marriages, demanded that Government enacts laws that approve castration as punishment for anyone who sleeps with a child below the age of 18. They also insisted that parents or guardians, who accept lobola from men, who marry under-age children, should face prosecution together with the culprits.-Herald

A SOLDIER fired about 20 shots, killing his wife, her two siblings and injuring his one-year-old son before shooting himself in a failed suicide attempt in New Magwegwe suburb yesterday following an infidelity row.

The soldier Carlos Chapeyama (23) who is based in Gweru and his 18-month-old son Tlowi Chapeyama whom he shot once on the leg, are battling for life at Mpilo Central Hospital.

His wife, Ashley Phiri (21) and her siblings, Nkosivumile Ncube (16) and Rita Nkomo (23) died on the spot.

Ms Phiri’s 81-year-old granny, Mrs Esther Nkomo managed to flee from the house when Chapeyama went berserk and started shooting the deceased while another relative, Mr Sipho Ndlovu (34) hid in the lounge where he had been sleeping when the mayhem started at around 1AM.

1: People gather at the shooting scene in New Magwegwe

The suspect allegedly fired about 20 shots during a power outage caused by the rains, killing his three victims on the spot.

Chapeyama and his wife lived in Mutare but she is alleged to have recently returned to her parents, accusing Chapeyama of physically abusing her.

Zimbabwe National Army Public Relations Director, Lieutenant Colonel Alphios Makotore, said Chapeyana was yesterday under military police guard at the hospital.

“The ZNA regrets to announce the occurrence of a family shooting incident which happened in New Magwegwe, Bulawayo. The circumstances of the shootout are that a member of the ZNA, Private Chapeyama, had a long standing dispute with his wife, the now deceased Ashley Phiri.

“On the day in question, the ZNA member had been assigned night guard duties at the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation transmitter at Guinea Fowl, Gweru. He then finished his duty and sneaked out of the camp with his service rifle. He then travelled to Bulawayo with the AK47 folding butt rifle concealed in a bag. Pvt Chapeyama went straight to his in-laws’ house,” said Lt Col Makotore.

A police officer records statements from victims’ relatives.

He said Chapeyama randomly opened fire on the three deceased sisters, killing them on the spot. Lt Col  Makotore said the child who was also shot survived but sustained serious injuries.

“After the shooting, Chapenya tried to commit suicide by turning the rifle on himself but was seriously injured. The perpetrator, Pvt Chapeyama, is now detained under heavy Military Police guard at Mpilo Hospital. The child is admitted at the same hospital,” he said.

Lt Col Makotore said the army will assist in the burials of the deceased.

An uncle to the victims, Mr Ntando Nkomo said the couple had domestic problems but they never suspected that Chapeyama would resort to murder.

“When he arrived from Mutare on Monday, he came here to see his child and told us of several issues, mostly suspected infidelity matters. Ashley repeatedly complained about her partner, accusing him of infidelity. This time Carlos also suspected that his wife was also cheating. I advised him to bring his parents so we would meet and discuss the matter,” he said.

“At around 12AM, Ashley phoned me, saying Carlos was at their house, banging their doors and threatening to kill her. I phoned my sister (Ashley’s aunt Judith Nkomo) and returned to sleep thinking it was just one of those issues, since they always had issues. An hour later, Carlos phoned me, using Ashley’s phone and said he had killed all of them and that I should come and collect the bodies. He immediately switched off the phone.”

Mr Nkomo said when the soldier called him he was at his house in Pumula suburb and he immediately phoned the police and then rushed to the scene.

He said he found the bodies lying in pools of blood in the kitchen and was told that about 20 shots had been fired.

Mr Nkomo said Carlos was also in the kitchen, with the rifle next to him.

“We thank God our mother and cousin survived the shooting. I’m still trembling,” he said.

Mourners gather at the house of the murdered women

Mr Nkomo said the family was facing financial challenges and burying three people was a tall order.

Miss Judith Nkomo, an aunt, said Chapeyama had not yet paid lobola, but the couple had been together for close to five years.

“When she recently returned from Mutare, she came to me and told me that Carlos was cheating on her and was also physically abusing her. She had serious scars all over her body from beatings,” she said.

A neighbour who preferred anonymity said as paramedics and police were taking the soldier to the ambulance, he cried pleading with them to hurry up saying he was in great pain.

The neighbour said when they heard the gun shots, they did not go outside to check because they feared for their lives.

“We heard many gunshots and suspected it was robbers firing shots and when this continued we thought it was probably Criminal Investigation Detectives firing warning shots in order to apprehend criminals,” said the neighbour.-Chronicle

National People’s Party President Joice Mujuru had to be rushed to hospital after stone attacks by suspected ZANU PF supporters in Glen Norah, Harare earlier today.

Sources close to the opposition leader presented a medical report from a specialist radiologist indicating that x-ray tests were executed on Mujuru on the arm and eye following the attack.

Meanwhile, the NPP Secretary General Gift Nyandoro has indicated that police have since effected some arrests of people suspected to have attacked Mujuru.

According to Nyandoro amongst the people arrested are members of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces.

“Following the attack of NPP President today police has since made five arrests and amongst them are two military officers at Glen Norah police and police are withholding their names,” said Nyandoro.-Online

A 36-year old Harare woman was nearly strangled to death by her boyfriend for taking a bath at night after returning from a night club.
Almeida Tonderai Droffice (29) who pleaded guilty to the assault charge was sentenced to two months imprisonment or alternatively 70 hours of community service by Harare magistrate Amanda Muridzo.

DESMOND CHINGARANDE

According to the state, Droffice and Evangelista Jacob are living together as boyfriend and girlfriend and on January 29 this year at around 2am the two arrived at their place of residence from a night club at Greencroft Shopping Centre both appearing drunk.

Jacob then went to take a bath. Droffice followed her asking why she was taking a bath at that time. The complainant explained that she was on her menstrual period.

Droffice started accusing Jacob of cheating on him and having other boyfriends before assaulting her with clenched fists several times on the face. The accused went on to assault the complainant with a leather belt all over the body before trying to strangle her.

Jacob reported the matter to the police leading to Droffice’s arrest.

A 24-year-old Gwanda gold panner has been stabbed to death at Phakama high density suburb following an alleged row over a commercial sex worker.

The victim died in early hours of Tuesday after being stabbed four times over a commercial sex worker he had hired at a local night club.

It is alleged that the victim, who was in the company of the lady of the night, met Tungamirai Kokerai at around 3.am who was not amused to see the two together as he was a former client, resulting in a quarrel.

The deceased was then stabbed several times and died at a nearby house he had gone to seek help.

His body was discovered at 6.am by one of the occupants of the house.

Drama however started when some gold panners and other residents got wind of the suspect’s arrest at his home a few hours after the gruesome murder and decided they wanted to take the law into their own hands.

In a bid to protect the suspect, the police were forced to flee with Kokerai to a house near his place of residence, with an angry mob in hot pursuit.

Earlier on, angry gold panners had given some commercial sex workers a thorough beating for causing the death of their colleague.

It was after the intervention of the riot police that the law enforcers finally managed to whisk away the suspect to Gwanda Police Station.

The suspect had been held hostage for about two hours.

Friends and family members of the deceased said they wanted instant justice as they had lost confidence in the police and the courts.

Gwanda residents are angry that the influx of commercial sex in the gold mining town has not only resulted in such incidents but was also destroying marriages.

Matabeleland South Police Spokesperson, Inspector Philisani Ndebele confirmed the incident, saying investigations are still in progress.

The body of the victim was taken to Gwanda Provincial Hospital for a post mortem.-zbc

ZIMBABWE Electoral Commission (Zec) commissioner Dr Qhubani Moyo is locked in a legal battle with a Bulawayo widow over the ownership of a house in Selbourne Park suburb.

Qhubani Moyo

Dr Moyo bought the residential stand from the late Mr Leonard Godfrey Masina and his wife, Regina, for ZW$260 000 in 2001 and developed it.

Dr Moyo, through his lawyers Shenje and Company, filed an application in terms of section 3 of the Titles Registration and Derelict Lands Act at the Bulawayo High Court citing the Estate of the late Leonard Masina, Ms Regina Masina and the Bulawayo City Council as respondents.

He is seeking an order directing Ms Masina, who is the surviving spouse of the seller of the property, to sign all papers necessary to effect cession of his rights, title and interest in the immovable property into his name or proxies within 10 days.

In the event that she fails to comply with the order, Dr Moyo wants to be granted leave for the Sheriff of the High Court to sign the papers in terms of section 3 of the Titles Registration and Derelict Lands Act.

“The first respondent (the late Mr Masina) at the time of the sale was a holder of certain rights, title and interest in the immovable property in Selbourne Park, which was at the time an undeveloped piece of land. On August 14 in 2001, the first and second respondents sold the piece of land to me in terms of a written agreement in the sum of ZW$260 000,” said Dr Moyo.

He said he developed the property in compliance with the terms in the principal agreement with the Bulawayo City Council.

Dr Moyo said the sale of the property had the full blessings of council after he had been on the housing waiting list. “I must confess that I have not had any contacts with the respondents for over 10 years, but contend that they (respondents) have an obligation to cede the property in my name for me to properly exercise my rights in the property to their fullness. I pray therefore that an order be granted to compel cession of the first respondent’s rights in the property,” he said.

Ms Masina has not yet responded to the application.

Harare businessman Agripa “Bopela” Masiyakurima caused a scene at the magistrates’ court yesterday when he demanded that Information and Communications Technology minister Supa Mandiwanzira should appear in court for allegedly damaging his crane.

Masiyakurima wants Mandiwanzira to be charged for sending his employees Charles Mtetwa (34) and Tapiwa Garapo (46) to damage his machinery. Masiyakurima told the court he bought the crane from Mandiwanzira for $411 000 as payback for being awarded the tender to erect 200 NetOne base stations throughout the country. Said Masiyakurima:

Your Worship, I won’t testify further if Supa Mandiwanzira is not brought in the dock. He is the one who sent these guys to destroy my crane. I sold my house to raise funds after I got a contract to build 100 base stations worth $3,7 million. Mandiwanzira wanted 40% of the amount for a bribe, which I refused. He then tried to force me to buy his two 20-cubic-metre tippers at a higher price. He told me that he must benefit somehow in my $3,7 million. NetOne contract and I succumbed since I did not want tension with the minister. I bought his crane which I defaulted paying by 30 days and he then sent his people to damage my crane after I finished paying him.

When he was ordered to direct his complaint to the prosecutor, Masiyakurima kept demanding that Mandiwanzira be charged together with Mtetwa and Garapo. The matter was postponed to Friday.

More: NewsDay

A WOMAN from Binga is being divorced by her husband of 16 years for allegedly secretly removing her ovaries to avoid conceiving.

 

Mrs Nomia Munsaka (nee Mutale) allegedly underwent hysterectomy in 2000 and kept it as a secret until her husband, Mr Peter Munsaka accidentally stumbled upon her medical record. Mrs Munsaka had hidden her medical records in the house.

According to summons filed at the Bulawayo High Court, the couple has no children together. However, Mr Munsaka has a child born outside their marriage.

In papers before the court, Mr Munsaka, through his lawyers Nyawo Ruzive Legal Practice cited his wife as a defendant.

Mr Munsaka said after discovering that his wife had removed her ovaries without his knowledge, their marriage has irretrievably broken down and he is seeking a decree of divorce.

The couple married in terms of Chapter 5:11 of the Marriages Act.

“The marriage between the parties has irretrievably broken down to such an extent that there are no reasonable prospects of restoring it, more particularly in that defendant intentionally hid the fact that she could not conceive due to fact that both her ovaries were removed sometime in 2000,” said Mr Munsaka.

He also accused his wife of physically abusing and threatening to poison his daughter born before their marriage.

“Defendant has always threatened the life of the child, saying she would poison her,” said Mr Munsaka.

He also accused his wife of suicidal tendencies each time they have a domestic dispute.

Mr Munsaka has since moved out of his matrimonial home.

During the subsistence of the marriage, the couple acquired a car, a five-roomed house and household property.

Mr Munsaka wants the court to allocate their matrimonial property equitably.

Mrs Munsaka has not yet responded to the summons.-CHRONICLE

Prisons are set to be decongested by at least 13 percent as part of the Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs’ 100 day rapid result target.

Minister Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Cde Ziyambi Ziyambi said his ministry is going to lobby for a presidential pardon.

The prison inmates population currently stands at 19 700.

A stakeholder strategic plan review workshop for the ministry held in Kadoma depicted appalling conditions for prisoners, with Prosecutor General Advocate Ray Goba telling Chief Justice Luke Malaba and other officials that the conditions in prisons are catastrophic.

The Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services is hoping to roll out a supplementary food programme targeting 578 malnourished inmates who are expected to get about 50 percent of their dietary scale requirements.

Minister Ziyambi also spoke on the realignment of some laws to the constitution, indicating the process should be complete before the harmonised elections.

In the same vein, Justice Ministry officials were also urged to conduct themselves professionally in the implementation of the electoral process so as to remove any doubts on the credibility of the forthcoming election.

Other activities lined up under the ministry’s rapid results initiative include the updating of the companies and deeds data on online platforms to a 100 000 records and translation of the constitution into vernacular languages.

Preparations are also being made for the drafting of the Child Justice and Marriages Bills.-ZBC

THE Constitutional Court (ConCourt) has set February 14 as the hearing date for an application filed by three Zimbabweans, who are challenging restrictive provisions of the Electoral Act, which prevent people living in the Diaspora from participating in local elections.

Deputy Chief Justice, Justice Like Malaba(centre) yesterday arrive at the Bulawayo High Court accompanied by the Bulawayo Judges for the official opening of the 2017 Legal Year.(Picture by Eliah Saushoma)

BY CHARLES LAITON

ConCourt registrar recently published a notice of the hearing, advising that the full bench of the court would sit to hear and determine the application on Wednesday next week.

The setting down of the matter followed a determination by Chief Justice Luke Malaba, who, on January 18 this year, ruled in favour of the Diasporans and allowed them to approach the court demanding their right to vote.

Through their lawyers from the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) and the Southern Africa Litigation Centre (SALC), the applicants — Gabriel Shumba, Sibonile Mfumisi, who are both based in South Africa, and one Darlington Nyambiya, who lives in Britain — are seeking an order compelling the Minister of Justice and the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) to facilitate the amendment of the Electoral Act (Chapter 2:13).

They want appropriate measures to be put in place to enable Zimbabweans living and working abroad to participate in the country’s electoral processes.

It is the trio’s argument that the residents’ requirements imposed under the Electoral Act are unconstitutional and that the new Constitution, which provides for political rights, allows for every citizen of Zimbabwe to participate in political processes regardless of their location and thus they want some of the restrictive provisions of the Electoral Act struck off the country’s statutes.

ZLHR and SALC also cited the Zec chairperson, Foreign Affairs minister, Finance and Economic Development minister and the Attorney-General as respondents in their official capacities.