Patrick Chinamasa lied under oath, faces jail term

Following allegations by the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on mines and energy that Justice and Legal Affairs Minister Patrick Chinamasa (Zanu-PF) lied during the committee's evidence gathering on Shabani-Mashaba Mines.

Speaker of the Zimbabwe House of Assembly, Mr Lovemore Moyo (MDC-T, will soon deliver judgment on whether to lay contempt of Parliament charges against Patrick Chinamasa.

The committee also recommended that similar charges be preferred against SMM administrator, Mr Afaras Gwaradzimba, for publishing statements it said were defamatory and demeaned its work.

Mr Moyo made the announcement before the House of Assembly began its business yesterday.

Mr Moyo said the committee noted that Minister Chinamasa could have lied under oath on the whereabouts of bearer share certificates he promised to avail to the committee.

If convicted, the duo could be jailed or fined.

Presenting the report Chindori-Chininga, said Minister Chinamasa had failed to honour a commitment made under oath to present the bearer share warrant as proof of Government ownership of SMM after payment of $2 million.

"Three letters from Parliament requesting the minister to fulfil his commitment have been presented to the Minister of Justice (and Legal Affairs) and to date no bearer share warrant from T and N has been presented to the committee," the report read in part.

"The committee notes the second witness Minister of Justice Honourable Patrick Chinamasa could have lied under oath regarding the possession of bearer share certificates of SMM Holdings that were previously in the possession of T and N."

The committee said the evidence presented by RBZ Governor Dr Gideon Gono and the co-Ministers of Home Affairs showed they were also seeking the proof of Government possession of the bearer share warrants.