News / Local
State plays video in CCC fake abductions case
23 Jul 2022 at 02:26hrs | Views
THE State yesterday played one of the video footage extracted from Bon Marche Supermarket at Belgravia Shopping Centre in Harare, where CCC members Joana Mamombe and Cecilia Chimbiri, accused of faking their abductions sometime in May 2020, were said to have been spotted late in the afternoon of the day in question while buying food.
Mamombe and Chimbiri are appearing at the Harare Magistrates Court charged with communicating falsehoods prejudicial to the State.
They denied the charges when the trial opened before Chief Magistrate Mrs Faith Mushure.
In the video footage, the State said they were interested in identifying the car which is believed to have been driven by the two on the day in question. The car is seen from a distance parking in a bay in front of the shop between 4:39pm and 4:53pm.
The State indicated that it will play another footage on July 27 when the trial continues.
Mamombe and Chimbiri, through lawyer Mr Alec Muchadehama, had objected to playing and production into the court record of the footage through State witness, Detective Chief Inspector Richard Muvhuro Mhlanga, saying he was not competent to tender the footage.
Mr Muchadehama argued that the footage could have been tempered with and doubted its originality.
Mr Reza, in his response, told the court that Det Chief Insp Muvhuro was the one who downloaded the original footage upon instruction from the investigating officer.
He said the detective was a competent witness through whom the footage could be produced since he was involved in the process of extracting it.
Mr Reza argued that the footage was not tempered with as it was being played in its original form. In her ruling, Mrs Mushure said Det Chief Insp Muvhuro was a competent witness and allowed the State to play the videos. Mrs Mushure said she was the one who could determine whether the CCTV footage was tempered with after viewing it.
Mamombe and Chimbiri are appearing at the Harare Magistrates Court charged with communicating falsehoods prejudicial to the State.
They denied the charges when the trial opened before Chief Magistrate Mrs Faith Mushure.
In the video footage, the State said they were interested in identifying the car which is believed to have been driven by the two on the day in question. The car is seen from a distance parking in a bay in front of the shop between 4:39pm and 4:53pm.
The State indicated that it will play another footage on July 27 when the trial continues.
Mr Muchadehama argued that the footage could have been tempered with and doubted its originality.
Mr Reza, in his response, told the court that Det Chief Insp Muvhuro was the one who downloaded the original footage upon instruction from the investigating officer.
He said the detective was a competent witness through whom the footage could be produced since he was involved in the process of extracting it.
Mr Reza argued that the footage was not tempered with as it was being played in its original form. In her ruling, Mrs Mushure said Det Chief Insp Muvhuro was a competent witness and allowed the State to play the videos. Mrs Mushure said she was the one who could determine whether the CCTV footage was tempered with after viewing it.
Source - The Herald
