Ex-Finance minister acquitted of externalisation charges

FORMER Finance Minister Christopher Kuruneri was last week acquitted by a High Court Judge on charges of violating the country's exchange control regulations, putting to an end the more than three years old legal battle.
Kuruneri became the first senior official in President Robert Mugabe's cabinet to be caught up since the government launched a clampdown on corruption, money laundering and illegal foreign currency dealing when he was arrested on 24 April 2004, for externalising funds.
High Court Judge Justice Susan Mavangira handed down her judgment on Friday declaring Kuruneri a free man on seven counts of exeternalising funds.
Kuruneri's lawyer Jonathan Samkange yesterday told The Standard his client had been cleared of externalisation charges and the only charge still pending against Kuruneri was that of dual citizenship, which is illegal in Zimbabwe.
“Yes indeed, he was acquitted yesterday. Justice has been done. He is now not facing any charges except the one on dual citizenship, which is a minor charge,” said Samkange.
He said the dual citizenship charge is also almost through as it now left with the mitigation procedure before sentence. “I believe he is going to be given a wholly suspended sentence considering that he stayed close to 17 months and remand prison and 2 years under house arrest,” he added.
The former minister was facing seven counts of breaching the country's exchange control laws by transferring US$500 000, 37 000 British Pounds, 30 000 Euros and R1,2 million to buy and renovate properties in South Africa's Cape Town.
Kuruneri however maintained that what he did was above the law because he earned the money he used to buy the properties from consultancy work for Mobile Systems International and Felipe Solano.
During his trial Kuruneri denied any charges of smuggling foreign currency to South Africa on various occasions between March 2002 and March 2004. His defence argued that the house in Cape Town was bought by a South African company, Choice Decisions, of which Kuruneri was a director.
Again, Kuruneri argued that Reserve Bank governor Gideon Gono had allegedly personally sanctioned the transactions during his tenure as chief executive of the Commercial Bank of Zimbabwe (CBZ).
Evidence was led in court that Gono personally facilitated the deals which saw Kuruneri buy the properties.
The Supreme Court finally granted Kuruneri bail on appeal in July 2005 after he spent 16 months in remand prison. Bail was however, granted on strict movement conditions after attempts, until then, to be granted bail had failed in the lower courts.
Supreme Court Chief Justice Godfrey Chidyausiku granted Kuruneri bail of Z$50 million and ordered him to surrender the title deeds to all his South African properties. Kuruneri was also to repatriate R1.3 million from his bank accounts in South Africa and remain under house arrest until Friday afternoon.

We will go it alone - Mutambara

THE Arthur Mutambara-led faction of the Movement for Democratic Change has finaly decided to go it alone in all coming elections officially sealing the possibility of united opposition fight against the ruling Zanu PF party.
Addressing a press conference in Harare yesterday soon after the meeting of the party's National Council, Mutambara solely blamed the Morgan Tsvangirai faction for the failure of a proposed coalition of opposition forces ahead of next year's harmonised elections.
“Consequently, the National Council has resolved to proceed on its own in preparation for any future elections. We will be fielding our own Presidential candidate against both Robert Mugabe and Morgan Tsvangirai,” said an emotionally charged Mutambara.
He described Tsvangirai as a “weak and indecisive leader” who can not embrace what ordinary Zimbabweans are demanding.
“If Morgan Tsvangirai does not understand the strategic value of unity in our struggle against Mugabe, Council wonders whether he is capable to be president of Zimbabwe,” he added.
Mutambara also announced that the party's National Council had also resolved to immediately withdraw from the Save Zimbabwe Campaign because it has become a vehicle to solely advance the “perverted agenda” of Tsvangirai.

However, spokesperson of the other faction Nelson Chamisa, yesterday dismissed Mutambara's claims saying the party was still fighting for the unification of all democratic forces to fight Mugabe.

"We have just had our National Council meeting and we have resolved to fight for national unity to ensure taht we achieve change in this country. We have a common enemy, and that enemy is Robert Mugabe," said Chamisa.
In the proposed coalition agreement the MDC led by Tsvangirai had been given an opportunity to choose the single presidential candidate to represent the party in the elections.

It has had provision for further co-operation that would ultmately lead to reconciliation and reunification.

Mtetwa challenges police

LAW Society of Zimbabwe president and top human rights lawyer Beatrice Mtetwa has lodged a formal complaint to the police over her assault and other colleagues at the hands of the police early last month after the police have been reluctant to take up the case.
Mtetwa and her colleagues Chris Mhike, Collin Kuhuni and Terence Fritzpatrick allege that they were viciously assaulted by members of the police both in uniform and in plain clothes along Cumberland Road in Eastlea.
The four were assaulted after gathering on 8 May with several of their colleagues in Harare, to present a petition to Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa protesting the detention of lawyers Alec Muchadehama and Andrew Makoni.
After being referred from one police station to another, Mtetwa said they encountered a lot of problems because the assailants were police officers and the strategy was to “intimidate them into abandoning their complaint”.
In a letter directed to the Deputy Commissioner (Crime), Mtetwa said they tried to make a report at Harare Central Police Station but they were referred to Rhodesville Police Station, which was said to have the necessary jurisdiction over the matter.
“We proceeded to Rhodesville police where we once again struggled to lodge our complaints as the sergeant on duty developed cold feet when he heard who the assailants are. He referred us to Highlands which he indicated was the station with the relevant jurisdiction,” wrote Mtetwa.
She said they finally wrote their statements and gave them to the sergeant but they were denied medical examination forms.
“The sergeant refused to give us the medical examination forms, insisting that only Highlands police could give us the form. He undertook to transmit the complaints to Highlands,” she explains.
Mtetwa added that when she followed up the issue on 14 May with Highlands Police, she was advised that the report had been taken to Harare Central under CR61/5/07.
She said despite explaining the need to have “our injuries examined by a Government Medical Officer (GMO), noone was prepared prepared to give us the correct form”.
“In the meantime the injuries are healing with the result that the GMO who examines me, if I am ever examined, will not get a good picture of what injuries are suffered. This I contend is so gross a miscarriage of justice as to require your intervention,” wrote Mtetwa.
Deputy Commissioner in charge of crime Innocent Matibili was not immediately available for comment last week.
Police spokesperson Superintendent Oliver Mandipaka said they were not aware of the letter from Mtetwa maintaining that any case presented to the police will be dealt with accordingly.
“Those medical examinations form are given to the people at the particular police station a report would have been made. We are not aware of that letter you are referring to,” said Mandipaka.

Top human rights lawyers arrested

High Court orders release of two detained lawyers

HIGH Court Judge Justice Tedias Karwi yesterday ordered the release of two human rights lawyers arrested outside the High Court building on accusations of obstructing the course of justice.
The lawyers Alec Muchadehama and partner Andrew Makoni, who are representing the arrested MDC activist accused of petrol bombings, were arrested on on Friday around 5PM and they have been denied legal representation.
In the judgement Justice Karwi ordered that the arrest and detention of the applicants (Muchadehama and Makoni) were unlawful. “It is hereby ordered by consent that the arrest and detention of the applicants be and is hereby declared unlawful. The respondents be and are hereby directed to release the applicants forthwith or upon service of this order,” ordered Karwi.
Advocate Eric Matinenga represented the two lawyers while Richard Chikosha from the Attorney General's office appeared on behalf of the police.
The order came after counsel for the two's lawyers made an urgent chamber application against Assistant commissioner Mabunda, detective inspector Rangwani, the police commissioner and the minister of Home Affairs in order to have the two released.
In the founding affidavit lawyer Harrison Nkomo of Mtetwa and Nyambirai said they tried unsuccessfully to gain access to the detained lawyers.
“We attempted to explain the reason of our visit and also tried to enquire as to the nature of the allegations that the applicants are facing and also indicated to to him that we wanted to get instructions from from the applicants.
“The 1st respondent (Assistant Commissioner Mabunda) who was reluctant to entertain us just indicated that the applicants were facing charges of obstructing the course of justice. He barred us from taking any instructions from the applicants,” wrote Nkomo
He added that Mabunda threated to assault and detain Dzimbabwe Chimbga, one of the lawyers who had gone to see Muchadehama and Makoni, forcing them to leave the police station.
President of the SADC La”wyers' Association Sternford Moyo said they were very concerned by the arrests and detention of lawyers while on duty.
“The police and the government of Zimbabwe have an obligation, arising from both domestic and international law to ensure that lawyers are allowed to discharge their functions without hindrances from public officials or any other person,” said Moyo.
He added that the right to legal representation is a cornerstone of an effective administration of justice.
“Where that right is not observed or is not guaranteed the administration of justice is rendered ineffective and the right to protection of the law is reduced to a Pius' declaration,” he said.

UZ proposes staggered working days

HARARE - THE University of Zimbabwe has made proposals to the striking lecturers to stagger the number of days they and their secretaries can come to work to cut on transport costs.
Sources from the country's largest learning institution said the University Registrar SM Chevo had circulated the memo to all heads of departments talking about the proposals, which would see a reduced working week.
It's very strange, this is a clear way to show that the university is broke and they don't have the money to pay workers. They are suggesting that workers arrange and exchange on the number of days to come to work to cut on transport costs, its very strange," said a source.
The sources added that in some cases the new arrangements would mean that people will only work for just 10 days a month.
Association of University Teacher AUT secretary general Munetsi Ruzivo confirmed seeing the memo but said it would not solve any problems.
"We want a lasting solution to all the problems that the university is facing at the moment. All stakeholders and should meet and try to find solutions to the crisis. Right now we are still on strike and we have resolved not to come back to work until our demands are met," said Ruzivo.
The lecturers went back on strike early this month after the University Council failed to award them the demanded Zd 1,9 million net pay for a lecturer and Zd 3,5 million for a full professor.
Ruzivo, who has since been suspended, said: "We are very much concerned with the welfare of our students but the money that we are getting at the end of the month is not enough to take us to work. They are trying to come up with temporary measures but that will not work."
Lecturers are presently getting between Zd 200 000 and Zd 500 000 after deductions against a current Poverty Datum Line of above Zd 1 million.

More MDC activists abducted

More activists abducted

POLICE last week continued with abductions and arrests of opposition MDC activists in a purge by the Zanu PF government to silence all dissenting voices ahead of next year's elections.
MDC deputy organising secretary Morgan Komichi was abducted from his house in Hwange on Friday around 10 PM while an MDC employee, Denis Murira, together with his wife were arrested on the same day.
Another MDC activist Shame Wakatama, who was arrested during a police raid at Harvest House last month and released, was re-arrested on Friday.
MDC lawyer Alec Muchadehama yesterday said senior police officers from the Law and Order section confirmed having arrested the trio but could not reveal their whereabouts.
“I have not been able to see anyone of them. However police officers from Law and Order confirmed arresting the three. The details are still very sketch at the moment and we will continue searching,” said Muchadehama yesterday afternoon.
Komichi's wife yesterday described how the unidentified men in a police vehicle raided their house in Hwange and took away her husband.
“They were driving a police traffic vehicle for Hwange and they were around five. They knocked at the door around 10 PM at first we ignored it since we were already asleep but after some minutes my husband just gave himself up to the men,” said the wife, who declined to be named for fear of victimisation.
She added that the men just told him that they wanted to investigate him about what happened at his workplace.
“This morning (Saturday) I went to Hwange police station with his breakfast but to my surprise they told me that there was no docket about him there. Right I don't even know where he is and we are worried,” added the wife.
MDC spokesperson Nelson Chamisa said the abductions were a calculated attempt by Zanu PF to cripple the opposition party but will never work,
“In the history of mankind, thuggery and terror have never worked as instruments of resolving national problems. MDC is an official opposition party and the abductions and assaults are not going to intimidate us but they will militate against the existence of a conducive environment for the holding of free and fair elections,” said Chamisa.
The MDC president Morgan Tsvangirai two weeks ago claimed that more than 600 supporters have been abducted, arrested and assaulted by State Security agents while in police custody over the past two months adding that of the 600 people affected, at least 150 had sustained life threatening injuries.
He said President Robert Mugabe’s government had intensified a long-standing programme designed to destroy the MDC party ahead of the harmonized presidential and parliamentary elections next year.

PP Chikafu still in police custody

PROMINENT and courageous prosecutor Levison Chikafu, who is still languishing in police cells after being arrested on Thursday in Mutare, says he now fears for his life.
Chikafu was arrested and released on Thursday but re-arrested on the same day on the same allegations of fraud and irregularly granting bail to suspects.
Speaking from a police cell at Mutare Rural Police Station on Saturday, Chikafu said he now feared for his life since the arrest on Thursday.
“These people want to demonise me saying I am a criminal, then isolate and eliminate me. I now fear for my life,” he said.
Chikafu was handling two high profile cases involving the Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Patrick Chinamasa and security minister Didymus Mutasa.
He was also trying to have Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) operative, Joseph Mwale, prosecuted for his alleged role in the murder of two Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) activists Talent Mabika and Tichaona Chiminya.
The two were killed in cold blood in 2000 near Murambinda Growth Point.
The police have put an embargo that no one is supposed to communicate or see Chikafu at the station except his lawyer, Chris Ndlovu of Gonese and Ndlovu legal practitioners.
“I am just sleeping in this cell for the past 48 hours and police officer has come to talk to me. They just dumped me here,” he said.
Chikafu said the detectives from the law and order section, who re-arrested him, told him that they had instructions from the police commissioner, Augustine Chihuri, to lock him up.
“Just write that Chikafu wants to know why Chihuri wants him arrested? If he has conscience he would think serious about it. Now I am not allowed to see or talk to my wife, friends and relatives,” said Chikafu.
The former Manicaland area prosecutor, who is now studying at Staff College in Harare, said he suspected that his arrests has more to do with the cases he handled than his alleged criminal accusations.
“The same detectives I had an altercation with and demanded that they produce Mwale’s docket are the same ones who arrested him. Is this a mere coincidence?” queried Chikafu.
Efforts to have Mwale prosecuted have no moved an inch and it is widely believed that the CIO operative is getting political protection from high ranking government officials.
His lawyer, Ndlovu, said by “illegally detaining” Chikafu in a solitary cell, the police want to disorient and cause him so much anguish.
“These people want to cause him as much anguish as possible. They just dumped him there since Thursday and left him to rot. They told me they would take him to court on Monday (tomorrow),” he said.
Ndlovu strongly suspect some political motives in the arrest of his client.
“I can’t rule out political manipulation. Why would detectives from the law and order arrest a fraud suspect? They have to deal with political and security related matters,” he questioned.
When Chikafu was briefly released on Thursday the Attorney General’s Office, the police and Ndlovu had agreed to proceed by way of summons because of lack of evidence.
“The decision was reached by all stakeholders after a clear analysis of the available evidence. When I asked them why they had re-arrested him, they said “we have orders from above’ meaning that there is another hand behind,” said Ndlovu.
He said the detention of Chikafu was a clear sign of intimidation of the judiciary.
Police chief spokesperson Wayne Bvudzijena confirmed that Chifaku was re-arrested and “had a case to answer.”
“People may say that it is political but I have gone through the papers he has a case to answer. Lets wait for the courts to decide,” said Bvudzijena.
On why he was re-arrested after the release, he said, “It was a gentlemen’s agreement that can be broken.”
He also dismissed the notion that Chikafu was supposed to have been arrested by officers from the fraud squad saying, “a police officer is a police officer even myself from the PR section have arresting powers.”

Olde 65!!!

MEN in RED

YOU WILL DEFINITELY NEVER WALK ALONE DOWN TO OLDE 65.

Good living

If anyone has a doubt that these people are having fun please raise your hands high in the air!!!!

Good living at its highest level......

Great

How was the breakfast guys, for me it was great, I had breakfast in bed!!!

What should be done to this man?

Good people,

If you have any idea, who this man is plese kindly respond to the heading. You suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

Mudhara

Here we go again!

Know about Reagan?

Ronald Wilson Reagan (February 6, 1911 – June 5, 2004) was the 40th President of the United States (1981 – 1989) and the 33rd Governor of California (1967 – 1975). Reagan was born and raised in Illinois and moved to California in the 1930s. Before entering politics, he was a Hollywood actor, President of the Screen Actors Guild, and a spokesman for General Electric. Previously a New Deal Democrat, Reagan became a conservative Republican in 1962. During his work for General Electric Theatre, he began to articulate the political themes that would carry him into the California Governorship, which he won in 1966, and the Presidency of the United States, which he narrowly lost a bid for in 1976 before winning in 1980.

ENJOYING LIFE IN SA

More drinks have been promised tonight and we will die of beer hey!!

WHAT PEOPLE

Good people live forever!!!