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Cde Gumbo

Harare Bureau
THE suspended Zanu-PF secretary for Information and Publicity Cde Rugare Gumbo was quized by the police over the weekend over his role in the Baba Jukwa saga.Police sources said Cde Gumbo was called in on Saturday to explain his involvement with the shadowy Facebook character accused of treasonous conduct and seeking to topple President Mugabe’s government.

Cde Gumbo was called in on Saturday by the CID Law and Order in Harare and questioned for more than two hours before he was released.

The decision to summon Cde Gumbo followed the arrest of Sunday Mail Editor Edmund Kudzayi, who had been accused of being behind the faceless character. He strongly denies the charges.

In the run-up to the July 31, 2013, elections, Kudzayi worked in the Zanu-PF information and publicity department which Cde Gumbo superintended.

Gumbo said last night: “I’ve no comment to make.”

President Mugabe recently quizzed Cde Gumbo over why police had not interrogated him given that he co-opted Kudzayi, the main suspect in the case, into the ruling party’s 2013 election campaign.

It is understood that Cde Gumbo stammered that he did not know Kudzayi personally.

The man police claim funded the Baba Jukwa Facebook page, Chawarika Matongorere, has also added his voice to the call for an investigation of Cde Gumbo over his involvement in the saga.

In an interview from his base in South Africa a fortnight ago, Matongorere said if claims by the police that Kudzayi was behind the faceless character were to be believed, it would be imperative to interrogate Cde Gumbo who employed him in the party’s information department.

Information Minister Professor Jonathan Moyo and Water Minister Saviour Kasukuwere have also spoken to the police over the investigation.