Increase Gumbo

CHIREDZI – A police constable was last week exposed in court for alleged acts of subverting the long arm of the law by attempting to broker an ‘out-of-court settlement’ on behalf of his brother in-law who had been caught sodomising a five-year-old girl.
The case against Godfery Muchambo, a constable based at plot 77 Zvidozvevanhu, Buffalo Range, was revealed during the sentencing of Dzingai Gwenzi to 12 years imprisonment, four of which were suspended, after his conviction for attempted rape.
The father of the complainant testified in court that Muchambo had advised them to come up with an out of court settlement to resolve the matter after the father had walked on Gwenzi sodomising the girl.
Passing judgement on Gwenzi, regional magistrate Judith Zuyu said Muchambo had allegedly acted awfully and in a manner that put his position into question.
“What Muyambo did is terrible. How could a policeman like him use his office to negotiate an out-of-court settlement over such a serious matter?” said Zuyu.
Zuyu also ordered the police on duty to investigate Muyambo within the next 14 days.
“I am giving you 14 days to examine the relations between Muyambo and the accused and why he was negotiating for an out of court settlement over such a serious matter,” Zuyu said.local

Dickson Mapuranga

CHIVHU – With mathematics proving to be one of the most key subjects in the Zimbabwean education curriculum, two Liebenberg High School upper six students last Thursday allegedly conspired to have the brighter of the two write an exam for the other.
The subterfuge was however unmasked in the second sitting of the exam, and the alleged culprits, who may not be named since they are minors, were waiting for action to be taken against them by the time of going to print.
It is said the cheating idea of the two pupils worked successfully in the sitting for first examination paper but things turned nasty for them during the second one when the invigilator discovered that the person who was writing was not the actual person who had registered.
The invigilator silently went on to report the case to the Deputy Headmaster without raising eyebrows and the actual candidate, who was busy doing lessons, was detained till the end of the exam to prove that a deception was taking place.
After thorough investigations, it was unearthed that the two had been moving around boasting to other upper six students that the trick had successfully worked on the first exam paper and would work out again on the second.
Chikomba District Schools Inspector (DSI) Emmanuel Kwenda professed knowledge of the incident but said he could not disclose much as he was out of office.
“I have heard of the incident and have visited the school but as for now, I cannot divulge much because there is paper work that should be done before any action can be taken. In due course, I will get back to you,” said Kwenda.local

Elliot Jinjika /
Dickson Mapuranga

CHIVHU – The whole of Chivhu community was left in shock after a woman from Constantine Estate allegedly killed her mentally challenged 82-years-old father following a heated brawl after the woman tried to restrain him from acting violently.
It was heard in the Chivhu Magistrates Court that on May 31, 2017 around 18:45 hrs, Shereni, pulled her father to the ground in a bid to calm him down but the man did not like it and he bit her finger.
Shereni was angered by the reaction of her father and responded by aggressively pressing her father down to the ground hoping that he was going to calm down but he instead died on the spot leading to a police report and subsequent arrest of Shereni.
The accused was not asked to plead but was placed on remand pending trial at the Chivhu Magistrates Courts on June 19, 2017 where she will likely be facing murder charges.
A post-mortem showed that the deceased succumbed to Hypovolemic shock, traumatic haemorrhage, chest trauma and a ruptured liver and the daughter is suspected to have attacked him using an unidentified weapon and inflicted injuries that killed the man.
Shereni is said to have told the police that she had no intentions of killing her mentally challenged father saying she was known for taking good care of him.
It is said the mentally-unstable man would often act violently and the accused would be at pains trying to calm him down.local

BEITBRIDGE – The people of Beitbridge have raised the red flag against abusive touts who disregard council by-laws and make travelling in the border town unbearable by causing confusion at the bus terminus and other pick up points in the border town.
Though touting is illegal, the police seem to have given up on the practice and touts are now plying their trade with reckless abandon, harassing especially female travellers and cross border traders who often lose some of their luggage in the chaos.
The mishikashika pirate taxis seem to have worsened the problem at such convenient pick-up and drop-off points like Total and Caltex service stations.
“Travelling in this town has become a headache. You are either forced to get into a car you do not want or you face the music.
“For ladies, it is totally unbearable because if you refuse to be guided by the touts, you are verbally abused or they can force themselves on your luggage and demand money later,” said one female traveller.
Another victim of the disorder said the police are not reigning in the unruly touts because they are receiving protection fees from them.
 “The touts are also bribing the police officers and that is why most of them do what they want. There was a tout who helped carry my child to cross the road while I carried my bag but I was shocked when the tout demanded R30 for the services.
“He impounded my bag and I had to seek help from other passers-by who threatened him and he gave up,” the woman said.local

Nashe Mahachi

NYANGA – A Nyanga man will spend twelve good years in prison for raping and impregnating his own mentally-retarded biological sister.
The 30-years-old man, whose name may not be revealed to protect the identity of the complainant, took advantage of the mental state of his sister to be intimate with her until she got pregnant.
Though he denied ever committing the crime, he was found guilty and was sentenced to 15 years by Rusape regional magistrate Livingstone Chipadza. Three years were set aside on condition of good behavior.
The court heard that the brother took advantage of his 16-years-old sister’s mental state and proposed love to her and was intimate with her for seven months.
Rusape district prosecutor Tirivanhu Mutyasiri said on an unknown date but in March last year, the man proposed love to the complainant and she accepted his love proposal.
“The accused took advantage of his sister’s mental incompetence and asked her to be intimate with him and she consented. Since then the accused was intimate with her on several occasions,” the prosecutor charged.
The accused was caught on several occasions in the complainant’s bedroom but he will always give excuses. The court heard that on an unknown date but early this year, the complainant’s mother found the complainant dressing up then she opened up that her brother had raped her.
The mother took her and the accused to ZRP Nyanga where she reported the matter. She was later taken to Nyanga district Hospital where it was revealed that she was pregnant.local

The United States Embassy recently announced the selection of young Zimbabweans who were invited to participate in the 2017 Mandela Washington Fellowship Programme under the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) in the United States of America.
TellZim News took time to compile brief profiles of some of the young leaders who have been selected to be part of this year’s programme.

Saddam Mapundu is the Founder and Executive Director of the Zimbabwe Youth Movement Combating Climate Change (ZYMCCC), an organization which works with youths through training and incubation in setting up viable social enterprises which address climate change in the areas of clean energy, climate resilient farming, and sustainable waste management.
He has over 3 years’ experience in the field of environmental advocacy. Saddam is also engaged in charity work with the Lions Clubs International Leo Program serving on the LEO District 412 Board (Zimbabwe, Botswana, Malawi & Mozambique) in the capacity of Global Membership Team Leader (GMT).
He is also co-founder of the Zimbabwe Engineering Students Trust and is studying towards his Bachelor of Engineering (Hons) in Fuels and Energy at the Chinhoyi University of Technology (Class of 2018).
A committed activist, he is set to continue promoting the use of renewable energy across Africa in order to protect the environment and climate and to create sustainable employment for the youth. Post the Mandela Washington Fellowship, Saddam plans to expand the work of the ZYMCCC in providing training to more youths in Zimbabwe and to also grow his energy start-up company, Galactic Renewables.

Dzikamai Bere is Coordinator of the National Transitional Justice Working Group (NTJWG). The NTJWG is a platform established by 46 organizations focused on transitional justice in Zimbabwe to influence policy on matters relating to justice, accountability and social cohesion. Dzikamai has over nine years’ experience working in the justice and human rights sector in Zimbabwe. He holds a Master’s Degree in Peace and Conflict Transformation from the Swisspeace Academy. Dzikamai is an author and a girls’ rights advocate. Upon completion of the fellowship, Dzikamai wishes to continue the work of promoting dialogue, justice, and accountability in Zimbabwe.

Abel Dzobo is a documentary filmmaker, journalist, and academic with over six years of experience in script-writing, directing, producing, cinematography and editing. Abel is Operations Director of KreativeHive Corps, Zimbabwe’s premier audio-visual content production company.
Here, he runs the whole gamut of film production and produces documentaries that tackle Zimbabwe’s unheralded challenges such as cancer, maternal mortality, the scourges of child marriage and child prostitution, HIV and Aids.
He campaigns for freedom of expression, economic justice, exposes corruption and the upholding of citizenship rights. He holds a Master’s in Media and Society Studies from Midlands State University and is a part-time media lecturer at Great Zimbabwe University, where he teaches documentary production.
Besides establishing KreativeHive Corps as a global film company, Abel wants to establish a fully-fledged Zimbabwean film industry through training and linking established filmmakers to funding and exhibition platforms in a country where the sole broadcaster, ZBC-TV, does not broadcast content deemed critical of the government. Driven by passion for a just society, Abel will also train marginalized groups and rural communities in digital storytelling so that they tell their own stories and hold officials accountable.

Godfrey Kurauone has close to five years’ experience in local governance, specifically focusing on policy making and community development. Currently, Godfrey is a Ward Councilor in the City of Masvingo, where he focuses on policy making, community development, and service delivery.
He holds a diploma in Personnel Management. He is the youngest Councilor in the history of Masvingo urban. Godfrey is also the Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson of the Manpower and Finance Committees of Masvingo City Council respectively and the National Chairperson of the Youth Forum Zimbabwe.
Godfrey is driven by the commitment to see youth participation in governance issues, social responsibility and democratization of the society. Upon completion of the Mandela Washington Fellowship, Godfrey plans to focus on advocating for youth participation in governance and decision making and also leadership training.local

CHIVHU – With theft and robbery cases increasing, the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) Chivhu has called upon residents to be wary of criminal elements operating in the town.
Superintendent Lameck Mtetwa, who is responsible for crime and operations, said the recent surge in theft and robbery cases were worrying.
“We have a number of cases that have reported and it is something that affects us as an organisation .We are working flat out to fight crime and protect the citizens of Zimbabwe but we want to urge the public to practice caution because it is a collective duty.
“We urge the public to avoid loitering during the late hours of the night and to walk in groups during the night. We also ask the public report anything suspicious to the police.
The public should make sure that their doors and windows are locked and in good shape because a number of burglary cases have been reported. It is a collective duty,” Supt Mtetwa said.
He also said police patrols will be increased and all necessary steps will be taken to work on such cases for the security of the public.
This comes after an EcoCash agent lost US$2 000 to robbers last week while a cyclist was robbed near Philjen Country Club, losing US$200 and his bicycle before two women were robbed at the same spot.
Meanwhile, a guest at Chivhu Hotel is nursing injuries after a horrific robbery attempt that nearly took his life.
Some residents however feel distribution of police manpower is not even, saying police details are always visible in some public places like Crossroads Night Club while more critical areas are being given scant attention.local

Cephas Shava

MWENEZI – A woman who was stung by the prospect of getting divorced burnt down her husband’s bedroom hut, the Mwenezi Magistrate Court recently heard.
Caroline Jimu (20) of Mahondo village under Chief Negari was convicted of malicious damage to property by Magistrate Honest Musiiwa on her own guilty plea and was sentenced to eight months behind bars or alternatively to serve 280 hours of community service.
Asked by the magistrate what made her to act in the manner which she did, Jimu who was holding a toddler, said cited the pressure of divorce.
“I burnt the hut because he had divorced me—kundiramba hanzi ndiende kumba kwavabereki vako pakati pousiku, apa ndakanga ndakatakura mimba yake futi,” Jimu told the court.
The State’s case, as presented by prosecutor Willard Chasi, was that on September 16, 2016 at around 1900 hrs, Jimu and her husband had a misunderstanding resulting in the husband packing his wife’s belonging and escorting her to her parents’ homestead.
Jimu was left a few metres away from her parents’ homestead while her husband retreated and went to sleep at his grandmother’s homestead.
Jimu reportedly came back that same night and set her husband’s bedroom hut on fire resulting in the destruction of property worth US$245 and nothing was recovered. A police report was made leading to Jimu’s arrest.local

Beatific Gumbwanda

CHIREDZI – Malilangwe Conservation Trust is in the middle of a storm after workers accused one of the managers of fomenting anti-government sentiment by repeatedly showing employees videos clips of #ThisFlag, #Tajamuka and of xenophobic attacks in South Africa as a way of inciting them, TellZim News has learnt.
Disgruntled employees at Singita Pamaushana Lodge, which is part of the trust, are complaining over tourism department head Jason Turner’s alleged acts of incitement by forcing them to watch the videos as a way of inculcating in them a sense of revulsion against government mismanagement of the economy.
This comes ahead of the visit by the trust’s benefactor, American billionaire Paul Tudor Jones II, who is scheduled to arrive on the June 19, 2017.
The workers told TellZim News that Turner, who is said to be an American citizen, was always mocking President Robert Mugabe’s age and health, showing a determination to make them rise against the government.
Though no comment could immediately be obtained from Turner himself, Malilangwe Conservation Trust director Mark Saunders denied the reports which he said was a misrepresentation of facts although leaked minutes of a staff meeting held on October 17, 2016 show that workers had indeed raised objections.
“We did our investigations and found out that it was misrepresentation of facts,” said Saunders.
The Trust’s Human Resources manager Tendai Nhunzvi acknowledged that there were issues at the lodge but was quick to say it had all been resolved internally.
 “What you saw from those minutes you read was true but we internally solved the issue,” Nhunzvi said.
The minutes, among a host of other things, allege that Turner had threatened to unleash scouts against them.
“Jason often states things of a political nature that undermine the president and present government. This puts the staff in a difficult position when they are asked about the political opinions of Malilangwe Management.
“How are staff expected to protect someone who has a complete disregard of the law? At work, staff are shown inappropriate videos of xenophobic and This Flag Tajamuka clips,” reads part of the minutes.
One of the employees who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of losing his job claimed that many people were already leaving their jobs fearing victimaisation.
“We are forced to watch these inciting videos while at work and he even extends to mocking the President over his age. He is inciting terrorism as he seems to be influencing us to revolt against the President and the current government,” said the source.local