Senior Zanu-PF official acquitted

Zanu-PF Central Committee member Justin Zvandasara, who was jailed two years over $4,5 million fraud, was yesterday found not guilty and acquitted by the High Court.  

Zvandasara was last year convicted of fraud involving $4,5 million on allegations that he grabbed over 10 hectares of land belonging to Zanu-PF legislator for Mutare South Nyasha Chikwinya in Hatcliffe.

It was the State's case that Zvandasara went on to allocate the land to unsuspecting home seekers under his housing co-operative.

Yesterday, Justices Felistus Chatukuta and David Mangota, sitting as an appeals court, held that the conviction was baseless before clearing Zvandasara of any wrongdoing.

This came after the politician's lawyers Mr Tapson Dzvetero and Mr Tariro Machiridza of Antonio and Dzvetero law firm convinced the court that their client was wrongly convicted by a Harare magistrate.

State counsel Mr Tapuwa Muchini later conceded that Zvandasara's conviction was not proper.