MWENEZI – Austin Mukwazukwazu, of Ramubhudha village under Chief Maranda, who allegedly murdered his wife Gladys Shoko after suspecting she was having an extramarital affair, was last week remanded in custody pending trial.
Mukwazukwazu (24) was not formally charged for contravening section 47 of the Criminal Law Act Chapter 9:23, ‘murder’ when he appeared before magistrate Langton Ndokera last week but was remanded in custody.
The court heard that sometime in October this year, Mukwazukwazu and Shoko, who lived together in Khayelitsha, Cape Town, had a misunderstanding after Shoko could not explain the source of money she had in her possession.
Mukwazukwazu then accused her of having extramarital affairs. He allegedly took a log and struck Shoko all over her head resulting in her falling unconscious.
Shoko was rushed to Mapongwane Hospital where she died upon being admitted. After committing the offence, Mukwazukwazu fled to Zimbabwe but was arrested recently after a manhunt by Mwenezi police.
According to State papers, the accused paid compensation in the form of cattle to the deceased’s family.
Willard Chasi appeared for the State.local

Elliot Jinjika

CHIVHU – A 30-year-old man from Dartmore Farm in Beatrice appeared before magistrate Fadzai Mtombeni on allegations that he robbed and raped a form one pupil who attends Constellation Christian College in Harare.
Richard Madanhire denied the charges.
The State’s case, as presented by Nicholas Mabvongodze, is that on September 24 at around 09:00 hrs, Madanhire met the complainant and her little sister who were selling vegetables.
He told them that he was passing through their homestead where he will buy vegetables but he later returned, produced a silver knife and ordered the complainant to give him all the money before seizing a dollar from her.
He grabbed the complainant’s hands, lifted her dress up and lowered her undergarments to the knees, forced her to bend down and raped her while threatening her younger sister to stay away lest he kills them both.
After the act, the accused went away with the complainant’s maize cobs, a maroon Zambia, grey jacket and her bag. The two sisters went home and reported the mater to their mother who accompanied them to file a report at Beatrice police station.
The complainant was later referred to Beatrice and Chitungwiza hospitals for medical attention.
The matter was due to continue in court in the time of going to the press.local

Cephas Shava

MWENEZI – A man from Village Beperi 1 under Chief Maranda collapsed and fell unconscious in court on two separate occasions soiling his trousers with urine when the magistrate was about to give a verdict on his rape case.
Tawanda Mukwasha (29) was in court facing charges of having sexual intercourse with a minor. He pleaded guilty to the charge.
On December 5, Mukwasha collapsed and fell unconscious, soiling his trousers with urine while he was still in the dock during the mitigating stage. He was carried outside and the court adjourned and postponed his trial to December 12.
On December 12, when magistrate Langton Ndokera was about to pass judgement, Mukwasha again collapsed and fell unconscious while in the dock and was carried out of the court.
Ndokera expressed dissatisfaction over Mukwasha’s conduct, saying though he might have health problems, his conduct seemed premeditated.
He said when one knows that they are on medication, they should follow the prescription and not to wilfully default so as to get a way out.
State facts as argued by prosecutor Angelinah Makonya were that sometime in May this year, Mukwasha proposed love to a 14-year-old pupil who was doing form one at Maranda High School.
Mukwasha persisted with his proposal until the minor accepted before agreeing to have sex with him.
The court heard that the matter came to light after two organisations, the Justice for Children and the Department of Social Welfare were carrying out an awareness campaign at Maranda Clinic.
A police report was made at Maranda police base leading to Mukwasha’s arrest. Mukwasha’s verdict was postponed to a later date.local

TellZim Reporter

The local Cold Storage Company (CSC) Masvingo depot is set to resume operations in 2018 following a deal which will see National Social Security Authority (NSSA) injecting US$20 million into the revival of the plant.
CSC Masvingo has the potential to become the single biggest employer in town if operations are resumed.
Breaking the news in an exclusive interview with TellZim News this week, the deputy minister of Lands, Agriculture and Rural Resettlement, Davis Marapira said he was pleased to announce that CSC will be revived by end of 2018.
“We are certainly going to see the revival of CSC within the next 12 months. As we speak right now, NSSA has since offered to put $20 million so that CSC can begin to operate again. This is almost a done deal, we are going to see full operations at CSC in 2018,” said Marapira.
Apart from NSSA, Marapira said there were other private players who are going to inject more capital so that the beef producing giant will be able to run at full capacity.
“We have other private individuals and organisations who are going to inject capital at CSC. I can assure you that we will have CSC resuming normal operations very soon,” added Marapira.
Before it crumbled, CSC was one of the biggest employers in Masvingo.
If it is fully revived, CSC has the capacity to employ over 1000 people thereby creating the much needed jobs.
NSSA marketing and communications executive Tendai Mutseyekwa could not be reached for a comment by the time of going to print.local

Upenyu Chaota

Retired Lieutenant General Engelbert Rugeje has assumed the most senior Zanu PF post in Masvingo province after President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s recent politburo appointments that saw him dislodging the long-time godfather Josaya Hungwe who now ranks a lowly fifth on the hierarchy of power in the revolutionary party.
Rtd Lt Gen Rugeje, who hails from Bikita, was appointed national secretary for the commissariat; a position which automatically making him the most senior and high ranking Zanu PF politburo member from Masvingo.
Other heavyweights in the politburo from the province include Lovemore Matuke—national secretary for security, Paul Mangwana— national secretary for legal affairs and Pupurai Togarepi—national secretary for youth affairs.
After the military’s Operation Restore Legacy which saw the resignation of former President Robert Mugabe, the new President Emmerson Mnangagwa has begun appointing high ranking military officials to all strategic positions, with Masvingo – his perceived political bedrock – now under the former military man.
Although Rtd Lt Gen Rugeje’s mobile went unanswered by the time of going to print, Masvingo provincial chairperson Ezra Chadzamira said he was confident with the appointment of Rtd Lt Gen Rugeje as the national commissar.
“In as far as who is the most senior in the province is concerned, I cannot comment on that but you have to go and check the Zanu PF politburo hierarchy. As a province, however, we welcome the appointment of Lt Gen Rugeje.
“He is a man we know very well and he is a dedicated cadre. In 2013, Gen Rugeje worked very hard together with Lovemore Matuke to deliver all the 26 constituencies to Zanu PF,” said Chadzamira.
He praised Rtd Lt Gen Rugeje as a man who follows protocol and does not tolerate short cuts, saying the province will be better with him.
“Lt Gen Rugeje is a no nonsense man who follows protocol not what used to be done by others who ran the commissariat like their own personal tuckshop,” said Chadzamira.
Political analyst Dr Takavafira Zhou said the appointment of Rtd Lt Gen Rugeje to the national commissariat is an indication that Zanu PF is strategically positioning itself for the 2018 elections.
“Gen Rugeje has a history of violence and intimidation since 2008 and this goes to show that any dream for a free and fair election next year will remain a dream.
“We know how Gen Rugeje operates and opposition forces have to brace up for a bitter election campaign next year,” said Dr Zhou.local

…police accused of stealing $500, P1 000 from loot
…investigating officer ‘given $30 via EcoCash’

Clever Taperamoyo

MASVINGO – A daring group of alleged fraudsters who duped dozens of desperate job seekers of their money in an elaborate scheme that involved registering many sim cards using inaccurate details and placing fake newspaper notices appeared in court on Monday facing fraud charges.
Patricia Magazini (34), Beauty Dzviti (29), Jairos Mupamhadzi (35), Respina Manjeru (45), Herbert Munyikwa (45) and Martha Nyapokoto (46) allegedly placed a fake advert in the Herald of September 19, 2017 with a list of names of applicants who had purportedly been accepted for a nurse training course at Masvingo General Hospital.
The advert was a culmination of a long-running fraud scheme going back into 2016; ripping off a total of US$60 000 from at least 55 unsuspecting victims.
Mupamhadzi, Manjeru, Munyikwa and Nyapokoto were granted free and unconditional bail as defined by Section 50 of the Constitution on condition that they were over-detained by the police.
Magazini and Dzviti, who is an EcoCash agent at Jerera growth point, were granted US$300 bail each and were ordered to report to Chikato Police Station and Zaka Police Station respectively. They were also ordered to surrender any travelling documents they might have.
December, 29 was set as the date for continuation of their trial.
It was in court, however, that Magazini made startling allegations against some police officers who arrested them, saying they took US$500 and P1 000 from her so that they could help lessen the criminal case. She also alleged that after her arrest, one investigating officer identified as Gwande asked for US$30 so that she could help her, and she sent him the money via EcoCash.
Led by prosecutor Fidelicy Nyamukondiwa the court heard that in January 2016, Magazini defrauded many job seekers by promising that she could organise for them nursing training opportunities at Masvingo General Hospital.
She used Econet sim cards which were registered in different names to receive money through EcoCash from more than 55 applicants around the country.
She later deactivated the sim cards before registering others with false addresses so that she could defraud more desperate job seekers.
At the beginning of 2017, Magazini expanded her empire of operations and recruited more job seekers. With the aid of Dzviti, she bought and registered more Buddie sim cards without any identity particulars.
The court also heard that the lines were used to receive money from Mupamhadzi who later on recruited Manjeru into the syndicate. Manjeru also fooled many job seekers; collecting thousands of dollars and promising them services he could not render.
Manjeru later on roped in Munyikwa and Nyapokoto into the scheme after introducing them to Magazini.
To placate their victims while extorting more money from them, the syndicate placed the fake newspaper notice that led many to believe the fraudsters were for real.
The court heard that the accused persons then advised the complaints to check their names in the Herald. Those with their names on the list were advised to seek police clearance and were given a list of uniforms to buy.
The alleged fraudsters then demanded payment ranging from US$500 to US$1 200 ‘to facilitate enrollment into the course’.  The victims were told that they will be dropped if they failed to pay the money.local

Cephas Shava

MWENEZI – A 26-year-old Mwenezi police officer, Brian Siyabonga was left nursing a swollen left palm and later referred to hospital after he was bitten by a motorist whom he had stopped at a roadblock along the Masvingo-Beitbridge highway, the Mwenezi Magistrates’ court heard.
Amos Hananda (26) of House Number 100 Dulibadzimu, Beitbridge, appeared before magistrate Langton Ndokera facing charges of contravening section 176 of the Criminal Law Act Chapter 9:23 ‘assaulting or resisting peace officer’.
Hananda pleaded guilty to the charges and was sentenced to 30 days behind bars or alternatively pay a fine of US$120.
State facts as presented by prosecutor Willard Chasi were that on November 3 at around 15:00 hrs, police officers who included Siyabonga, Ziyamba, Chibhaki, Moyo, Lameck and Tshuma were manning a roadblock at the 168 kilometre peg along the Masvingo-Beitbridge Road.
Upon arriving at the checkpoint, Hananda, who was driving a commuter omnibus with dysfunctional tail lights and had no operator’s licence, was informed of the offences. He was also informed that he had previously been warned of the same offence at the same place.
Hananda was ordered to drive his vehicle to Rutenga Police Post but he refused. Constable Lameck tried to handcuff him but he was pushed away. It was at this stage that Constable Siyabonga took the handcuffs intending to handcuff Hananda but he too was bitten on the left palm.
With the help of Sergeant Mabuto who was passing through the roadblock, the police officers managed to arrest Hananda.
Siyabonga sustained a swollen left palm and was referred to Neshuro District Hospital. A medical report was produced as exhibit in court.local

MWENEZI – The man whom TellZim News reported as having helped his mother to brutalise her boyfriend’s wife has disappeared before serving the full community service sentence handed to him by the Mwenezi Magistrates’ Court.
Hardely Mbuderi (25) was supposed to serve 350 hours of community service at Chitanga Primary School after he was convicted alongside his mother, Sinikiwe Mbuderi (41) for assaulting Nyengeterai Gondo in September this year.
TellZim News was informed by reliable sources that Hardley had left for South Africa without notifying authorities at Chitanga Primary School where he was serving his sentence.
The assault happened when Gondo had gone to Lundi business centre to look for her errant husband Tyson Moyo when she met the co-accused who then teamed up and assaulted her.
Both Hardley and Sinikiwe were convicted of the offence by magistrate Honest Musiiwa although they had pleaded not guilty.
The two were each sentenced to 15 months imprisonment but five months were conditionally suspended. The remaining ten months for each were set aside on condition that they will each perform 350 hours of community service at Chitanga Primary School and Lundi Clinic.
During her trial, Sinikiwe admitted having an affair with Gondo’s husband but denied assaulting hee.local