Gushungo Dairies 'bombers' case drags on

A bid for freedom by four suspects reportedly caught attempting to bomb Alpha Omega Dairies - popularly known as Gushungo Dairies - has been dismissed after the State indicated that indicts for the trial to be heard by the High Court were still pending.

The quartet - jailed president of the Zimbabwe People's Front political party, Owen Kuchata, 34, Zimbabwe National Army corporals Borman Ngwenya, 30, Solomon Makumbe, 29, and ex-soldier Silas Pfupa, 37 - are facing treason charges.

They appeared before Harare magistrate Barbra Chimboza and applied for further remand refusal accusing the State of infringing on their right to be tried within a reasonable period of time.

Chimboza considered that they were facing a serious offence and the passage of time was justified before remanding the quartet to May 31.

Makumbe and Pfupa's lawyer, Gamuchirai Dzvitiro, slammed the State for dragging the case and prejudicing the accused persons.

It was alleged that sometime in August 2015, the accused held several meetings at Queens Hotel in Harare and planned to subvert a constitutionally-elected government.

Pursuant to their plan, the quartet went to Mapinga in Mashonaland West and formed a camp from which their members would be trained and operate.

On January 1 last year, they went to Mugabe's rural home in Zvimba and carried out surveillances to identify suitable vulnerable points to carry out the alleged mission.

They later met on January 19 at Queens Hotel and resolved that they would use fertiliser bombs to fulfil the job.

On January 22 at around 4pm, police received a tip-off that the four were planning to bomb Alpha and Omega Dairies processing plant and tuck-shop during the night.

It is alleged that the quartet accused President Robert Mugabe of causing suffering to Zimbabweans because of his "dictatorial leadership".

Police detectives proceeded to the farm and laid an ambush about 100 meters from the quartet's target.

Around 10pm detectives saw the quartet approaching the dairies processing plant and immediately arrested them.

They searched them and recovered four Molotov cocktails (petrol bombs), ammonium nitrate, nails and sand in 750-millilitre bottles.