Mabika 'spurned Didymus Mutasa sexual's advances', court told

THE livestock theft case which has divided Zanu-PF officials in Manicaland took a new twist on Thursday with lawyers representing the party's suspended provincial acting chairperson, Dorothy Mabika, alleging that she is being persecuted because she spurned sexual advances from Presidential Affairs Minister and Zanu-PF secretary for administration, Didymus Mutasa.
 
Tinofara Hove made the startling allegations before Mutare magistrate Sekesai Chiwundura.

Mabika is facing one count of stock-theft involving six dairy bull calves and another of obstructing the course of justice. She has pleaded not guilty.

The state alleges that Mabika received the six calves from Chipinge commercial dairy farmer, David Hercules Jourbert, as a donation for Zanu-PF in September 2011.

Mabika converted the calves to her own use, according to prosecutor Christine Nyamaropa, and later claimed they had died of starvation due to lack of milk and supplementary feeding.

On the second count of obstruction of justice, the state alleges that in February this year when the case was under police investigation, Mabika tampered with minutes of a meeting at the party's offices to cover up the alleged crime.

Hove, while cross examining Mutasa, often referred to by his "Nyati" (buffalo) totem, challenged the Zanu-PF secretary for administration's threats to deal with Mabika if she continued to spurn his advances.

Hove read in Shona a remark said to have been made by Mutasa to Mabika at a party meeting at Mutare Polytechnic College.

Mutasa is alleged to have said: "Mbizi [Mabika's totem] nenyati zvinofura pamwechete, kana mbizi ikaramba kufura nenyati inotungwa nenyati (iDube leNyathi kudla konke, nza iDube lingayala ukudla leNyathi liyagqutshulwa) (Zebra and buffalo graze together and if the zebra refuses, then the buffalo will gore it)".

Hove told the court the words were inappropriate and of a sexual nature, an assertion Mutasa disputed.

Hove said Mabika refused Mutasa's sexual advances and to be in his political corner, hence she was now being politically persecuted.

Mutasa denied ever proposing love to Mabika insisting he said the words to a friend as a joke and that if she took them as a proposition then that was unfortunate.

Hove also said Mabika was being used as a pawn in Zanu-PF's power struggles in Manicaland.

But Mutasa shot back: "The truth is that the accused stole the cattle in question. There was nothing of this sort [alleged persecution] before it emerged that she had stolen the cattle. Zanu PF is the complainant in this matter, and that is why I am here testifying."

Hove said the charges against Mabika were political as they were laid just before the elections.

"I put it to you that no offence was ever committed and that is the reason why these charges were raised at a time when elections are near. The accused exemplifies the grass that is suffering as the bulls fight," said Hove.

Mutasa replied: "So you are saying court officials who are presiding over her trial and the police who were involved in the investigations are insane and are wasting time over a case that was never committed?

"Well, that is your opinion. The police were instructed by the President himself to investigate the matter because there were strong suspicions that an offence had been committed."