News / National
Justice Hungwe mum on fatal romp, will not comment
23 Jan 2014 at 08:53hrs | Views
High Court judge Justice Charles Hungwe, who has been caught in a storm following the death of a Bindura woman, alleged by some to be his mistress, Gladys Manwgiro, yesterday said he had chosen to remain mum over the issue, at least for now.
The judge said the explanation he had already given on circumstances surrounding the matter to the deceased's immediate family members was enough.
"With the goings on, I don't think it (giving further explanation) will help anything and I was hoping that if I kept quiet, the whole thing will die down," Justice Hungwe said.
"I have already said it to the relevant people. These are the most important people, the children and the parents. The relevant people know what happened and it's far from what is being reflected in the papers."
"I think it's in my best interest."
Relatives of a Bindura businesswoman who died on Tuesday night, minutes after being "intimate" with a top High Court judge, blocked the police from carrying out investigations into the case.
Gladys Farai Mangwiro (55) was at her home along Hay Street in Bindura with Justice Charles Hungwe when the incident occurred between 7pm and 8pm.
According to a report made to the police, the two had a long standing affair.
Mangwiro, who owned Mayfair Lodge, was found lying dead on the floor in her bedroom without her pants, bra and blouse while an inhaler for treating asthma was beside the body.
It is alleged that when Justice Hungwe discovered that Mangwiro was not feeling well, he rushed to the police station and later to Bindura Provincial Hospital.
He left Mangwiro alone in the bedroom after the asthma attack.
In a bid to block further probe on the matter, sources close to the investigations said Mangwiro's son Kudzanai Kujenga (31), who is representing the family, yesterday deposed an affidavit for post-mortem not to be conducted.
It is alleged that he drove to the police station to look for phone numbers to contact an ambulance.
When he failed to get through, he reportedly drove to the hospital where he was then accompanied by an ambulance crew, but when they arrived, Mangwiro had died.
Justice Hungwe then drove back to the police station where he informed the officers about the new developments.
Police went to the scene and the relatives reportedly diverted the body to a mortuary of a private funeral parlour instead of a Government hospital.
Officers at Bindura Central Police Station had treated the matter as sudden death but due to the circumstances surrounding the case, it had to be transferred to the Criminal Investigations Department in the town.
The CID had been tasked to ascertain the cause of the death and to make further inquiries.
The police would have to close down the case since the relatives do not want any investigations to be conducted.
Some of the neighbours interviewed yesterday said they had only heard that Mangwiro was in the company of a man they could not identify.
Other relatives said they knew that Mangwiro had been suffering from high blood pressure (HBP), asthma and diabetes.
The judge said the explanation he had already given on circumstances surrounding the matter to the deceased's immediate family members was enough.
"With the goings on, I don't think it (giving further explanation) will help anything and I was hoping that if I kept quiet, the whole thing will die down," Justice Hungwe said.
"I have already said it to the relevant people. These are the most important people, the children and the parents. The relevant people know what happened and it's far from what is being reflected in the papers."
"I think it's in my best interest."
Relatives of a Bindura businesswoman who died on Tuesday night, minutes after being "intimate" with a top High Court judge, blocked the police from carrying out investigations into the case.
Gladys Farai Mangwiro (55) was at her home along Hay Street in Bindura with Justice Charles Hungwe when the incident occurred between 7pm and 8pm.
According to a report made to the police, the two had a long standing affair.
Mangwiro, who owned Mayfair Lodge, was found lying dead on the floor in her bedroom without her pants, bra and blouse while an inhaler for treating asthma was beside the body.
It is alleged that when Justice Hungwe discovered that Mangwiro was not feeling well, he rushed to the police station and later to Bindura Provincial Hospital.
He left Mangwiro alone in the bedroom after the asthma attack.
In a bid to block further probe on the matter, sources close to the investigations said Mangwiro's son Kudzanai Kujenga (31), who is representing the family, yesterday deposed an affidavit for post-mortem not to be conducted.
It is alleged that he drove to the police station to look for phone numbers to contact an ambulance.
When he failed to get through, he reportedly drove to the hospital where he was then accompanied by an ambulance crew, but when they arrived, Mangwiro had died.
Justice Hungwe then drove back to the police station where he informed the officers about the new developments.
Police went to the scene and the relatives reportedly diverted the body to a mortuary of a private funeral parlour instead of a Government hospital.
Officers at Bindura Central Police Station had treated the matter as sudden death but due to the circumstances surrounding the case, it had to be transferred to the Criminal Investigations Department in the town.
The CID had been tasked to ascertain the cause of the death and to make further inquiries.
The police would have to close down the case since the relatives do not want any investigations to be conducted.
Some of the neighbours interviewed yesterday said they had only heard that Mangwiro was in the company of a man they could not identify.
Other relatives said they knew that Mangwiro had been suffering from high blood pressure (HBP), asthma and diabetes.
Source - newsday
