News / National
Police ‘complete' Kuwaza death investigations
12 Jun 2017 at 02:22hrs | Views
Police have reportedly completed investigations into circumstances leading to the mysterious death of former State Procurement Board (SPB) executive chairman, Charles Kuwaza and handed it to a judicial officer to decide whether an inquest should be held.
Family spokesperson and lawyer, Shadreck Chisoko confirmed the development.
Kuwaza died on Independence Day allegedly by throwing himself from his ninth floor offices at Club Chambers.
However, there has been strong suspicion that the former SPB boss, who was facing $1 million fraud and criminal abuse of office charges, was either assassinated or forced to commit suicide.
"We have been informed that police have completed their investigations and forwarded the docket to the magistrates' court for a judicial officer to make a consideration if an inquest into the death should be held," Chisoko said.
He said the autopsy report had also been attached to the docket.
"The autopsy report is ready and is now part of the docket, thus, I cannot comment on it. We wait to hear the consideration of the magistrate on whether an inquest would be held," Chisoko added.
Although police spokesman, Chief Superintendent Paul Nyathi could not be reached for comment, as he said he was out of office, he indicated at the time of Kuwaza's death two months ago that police were investigating the matter.
If an inquest is held, it would become the second high-profile case after a similar process was done on the late army General Solomon Mujuru, who died in a mysterious inferno at his Ruzambo Farm in Beatrice in 2011.
Mujuru's inquest, however, did not confirm foul play, as the Cuban pathologist, who did the autopsy, said specimens from the late general's charred remains could not give a reliable indication of the cause of death.
Family spokesperson and lawyer, Shadreck Chisoko confirmed the development.
Kuwaza died on Independence Day allegedly by throwing himself from his ninth floor offices at Club Chambers.
However, there has been strong suspicion that the former SPB boss, who was facing $1 million fraud and criminal abuse of office charges, was either assassinated or forced to commit suicide.
"We have been informed that police have completed their investigations and forwarded the docket to the magistrates' court for a judicial officer to make a consideration if an inquest into the death should be held," Chisoko said.
"The autopsy report is ready and is now part of the docket, thus, I cannot comment on it. We wait to hear the consideration of the magistrate on whether an inquest would be held," Chisoko added.
Although police spokesman, Chief Superintendent Paul Nyathi could not be reached for comment, as he said he was out of office, he indicated at the time of Kuwaza's death two months ago that police were investigating the matter.
If an inquest is held, it would become the second high-profile case after a similar process was done on the late army General Solomon Mujuru, who died in a mysterious inferno at his Ruzambo Farm in Beatrice in 2011.
Mujuru's inquest, however, did not confirm foul play, as the Cuban pathologist, who did the autopsy, said specimens from the late general's charred remains could not give a reliable indication of the cause of death.
Source - newsday
