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Jason Machaya

Freedom Mupanedemo, Midlands Bureau
FORMER Midlands Provincial Affairs Minister and Senator for Gokwe, Jason Machaya, who has been in remand prison since Christmas Eve, tasted freedom for only 10 minutes on Thursday before being re-arrested on fresh charges while coming out of the hospital.

Machaya’s lawyers had just delivered a High Court ruling granting their client bail in hospital at Gweru Provincial Hospital where he was receiving treatment under police guard after falling ill while in prison.

According to a relative, Machaya was free for only 10 minutes as he checked out of the hospital with a bail order at hand but was immediately arrested as he stepped out of the hospital soon after being discharged.

“Soon after being discharged, police details with fresh charges involving abuse of office were at the hospital entrance waiting to pounce on him. He was immediately escorted by the police to Whawha Prison to pick up his belongings and was detained at Mtapa Police Station in Gweru,” said the relative who chose to remain anonymous.

Machaya’s lawyer, Mr Hillary Garikayi of Garikayi and company, confirmed Machaya’s latest arrest.

He said he was still to get details of the new charges.

“I am not in Gweru. I was still in Harare where we have been sorting out his bail application when I heard that he had been arrested on new charges and was detained at Mtapa Police Station.

“We just hope justice will prevail,” he said.

Acting police spokesperson for Midlands province Assistant Inspector Ethel Mukwende was not available for a comment yesterday.

Sources said Machaya was facing new charges involving the allocation of land and residential stands in Gweru.

The sources said there were other charges that were also being compiled involving the allocation of stands in Shurugwi and Zvishavane.

“He was the provincial head so he is being probed on how he would allocate stands and land for development in the Midlands province. The charges are more or less the same with the Gokwe stands issue which got him arrested in the first place”, said the source.

Machaya was arrested just before Christmas on allegations of abuse of office and since then has been in remand at Whawha Prison.

He suddenly fell ill while in remand and was rushed to Gweru Provincial Hospital where he has been receiving treatment under the watchful eye of police and prison guards.