Chihuri in Grace Mugabe diamond ring saga

POLICE Commissioner General Augustine Chihuri and his three subordinates cited as respondents in the $1,35 million diamond ring saga involving Lebanese businessman, Ahmed Jamal and First Lady Grace Mugabe, have filed an urgent chamber application for an order to respond to the civil dispute.

This was disclosed yesterday by Attorney-General (AG)'s representative, Mike Chimombe, who was representing Chihuri, Officer Commanding CID Law and Order, Assistant Commissioner Thulani Ncube and Superintendent Nyambo Viera, who is also attached to the Law and Order section.

Chimombe made the submissions before Justice Lavender Makoni after Jamal's lawyer Mzokuthula Mbuyisa, applied for an order to join the four top cops in the saga in which law enforcement agents allegedly invaded Jamal's upmarket houses on Grace's orders.

Earlier, Justice Makoni had asked Chimombe if he had audience in the proceedings to which the latter replied:

"Indeed my lady, I wanted to bring it out to the attention of the court that we have since filed an urgent application for the upliftment of the bar."

Chimombe's submission was later confirmed by Mbuyisa, who insisted Chihuri was employing delaying tactics and urged the court to dismiss the postponement application.

After some interactions with the two lawyers, Justice Makoni ruled in favour of Chihuri saying: "It is in the interest of justice that the application for the upliftment of the bar be determined first and therefore the matter is removed from the roll and respondents to tender wasted costs."

In his latest affidavit demanding Chihuri and his three subordinates to be joined in the case, Jamal accuses the top cops of interfering with civil proceedings.

Jamal claims he had his three Harare properties illegally seized by Grace and her son, Russell Goreraza, after a $1,35 million diamond ring deal went sour.

In the affidavit, Jamal attaches WhatsApp chats he claims to have had with Grace using the name Rowesai Virimai.

Part of the messages quotes the First Lady as having said: "Threaten as much as you want, the property is gone, you have to come to terms with that you can abuse me but you owe me, you won't force me to wear that thing…

"So why worry abusing me, you know it, all it's your house, why not come and live in it! You only talk about your property what about my money … Stupid. Don't ever think you will enter this country again (sic)."

In the massages, Grace accuses Jamal of being abusive, saying this will not solve anything.

"Can you please stop writing me, I don't want any communication with you from now please," she wrote.

Jamal denies threatening her, saying he had many houses around the world and only wanted what was his.

"It's ok ma'am you are the First Lady in Zimbabwe and you rule.

"But one thing for sure, your $1m we don't need. You can sure ask Dr Mhlanga and Rozana, I have never … safe if you change your mind, you can collect it from our office in Dubai.

"We are asking you to ask your people that break into our premises to leave my house. If any damages are done, we will have to let them pay for all (sic)."

It is not clear who Mhlanga and Rozana are.