Zimpapers Logo

Bongani Ndlovu, Online Reporter

THE trial of the former Vice President of Zimbabwe, Phelekezela Mphoko is set to continue following the dismissal of his application for review which he filed contesting the refusal by a Bulawayo Magistrate to discharge him at the close of the State’s case.

In a statement by the National Prosecuting Authority of Zimbabwe, the former Vice President stands accused of abusing his office when in July 13, 2016, he reportedly unlawfully ordered the release of Moses Julius Juma and Davison Norupiri from police custody.

Juma was the former Zimbabwe National Road Administration (Zinara) acting chief executive and board member, while Norupiri, was Zinara’s finance committee chairperson.

According to the State’s papers, the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) received a case in which Juma and Norupiri were being accused of fraud and criminal abuse of office on May 6, 2016. Investigations resulted in the arrest of the two for criminal abuse of office.

“It is the State’s case that on the 13th of July 2016, the accused person who was then the sitting Vice President of Zimbabwe and hence a public officer, intentionally appeared at Avondale Police Station and unlawfully ordered the release of Moses Julius Juma and Davison Norupiri from police custody. It is alleged that in so doing the accused person abused his office,” read the statement.

The High Court sitting in Bulawayo dismissed the application for review and held that the State had managed to establish a prima facie case against the former Vice President Mphoko. Proceedings at the Magistrates Court are expected to continue in due course.

Juma was first arrested in 2016 for abuse of office but was released after former Vice President Mphoko stormed Avondale Police Station and demanded his immediate release.

He was rearrested in 2018 and sentenced to 30 months in prison and was supposed to serve two years in jail after six months were suspended from his sentence.

Juma was convicted for handpicking a tax consultancy company on a contract worth US$500 000 without going to tender as required.

Following his conviction, Juma approached the High Court appealing against his conviction and was granted $5 000 bail.

His appeal came before Justice Kwenda and Justice Felistus Chatukuta, now a Supreme Court judge and the matter was struck off because his grounds of appeal were invalid.

As soon as his appeal was struck off he was supposed to hand himself in and start serving because his bail had been terminated. Instead he stayed at home while the ZACC launched a manhunt for him.

ZACC then issued a statement that since the court upheld his conviction, Juma had vanished and was now on the wanted list.