Zanu-PF official threatens reporter

Former Zanu-PF Bulawayo provincial official Lillian Kandemiri has threatened an Alpha Media reporter for writing a story revealing how she allegedly offered her 15-year-old daughter as sex slave to cover up after she defrauded a city man of $40 000.

Kandemiri, believed to be of a violent disposition, on Friday threatened to beat up Southern Eye's Nduduzo Tshuma over the story.

Sources within alpha media said she spent a tense 20 minutes on the phone with Tshuma promising to beat him up.

"She challenged Ndu to come to her home so that they could settle the matter. He seemed shaken and the editors advised him to tell her to come to the newsroom instead. She told him that she had connections who would deal with him," said the source.

Kandemiri appeared before Bulawayo magistrate, Maphios Moyo on Friday, facing charges of pledging a female minor for sexual purposes.

She was remanded out of custody to 26 February.

Prosecuting, Tatenda Dakwa said Kandemiri was asked by Elphas Ncube to sell his plot at Esigodini last year, while he was in prison.

Kandemiri allegedly told Ncube that she sold the plot, valued at $100 000 for $40 000.

When Ncube came out of prison on 26 January and asked for his money, Kandemiri then offered her daughter to pay off the $40 000.

Ncube reported Kandemiri to the police, leading to her arrest on Tuesday, after she had dumped the juvenile at his home.

Kandemiri is famous for leading the invasion of the Bulawayo City Council's Emganwini Farm in 2008.

She reportedly parcelled out land to about 300 people for a fee.

The people lost their money, property and livestock when council obtained a High Court order to evict them in 2010.

The structures they had set up were bulldozed.