News / National
Mugabe son in-law trial continues
20 Feb 2019 at 14:05hrs | Views
The trial of former President Mugabe's son-in-law Simba Chikore yesterday continued with an inspection in loco held at the secret Zimbabwe Airways premises in Chishawasha.
Chikore's lawyer Jonathan Samakange had applied for the inspection during cross examination after the State witness Simon Musakasa had testified that he had witnessed all the events of June 7 from his office.
The inspection in loco revealed that Musakasa lied to the court that from his office, he was able to see Chikore's accomplice, Simba Mutsimbe refraining the complainant Bertha Zakeyo from leaving the premises under instruction from Chikore.
It was revealed that it was approximately 30 meters from the gate to the witness's office to the gate contrary to the five meters he had told the court in his testimony, making it impossible to hear what happened at the gate as he had said in his testimony.
Harare magistrate Victoria Mashamba also went to the witness's office to try and see if it was possible to see people knocking at Chikore's office and ruled that he could only see people going past his door but couldn't see what transpired there contrary to his statement.
Chikore is facing charges of unlawfully detaining the company secretary Bertha Zakeyo at the Zimbabwe Airways premises on June 7 last year.
The State is still to subpoena its last witness Phillipa Phillips who was also present at the premises when Ms Zakeyo was allegedly detained.
Chikore's lawyer Jonathan Samakange had applied for the inspection during cross examination after the State witness Simon Musakasa had testified that he had witnessed all the events of June 7 from his office.
The inspection in loco revealed that Musakasa lied to the court that from his office, he was able to see Chikore's accomplice, Simba Mutsimbe refraining the complainant Bertha Zakeyo from leaving the premises under instruction from Chikore.
It was revealed that it was approximately 30 meters from the gate to the witness's office to the gate contrary to the five meters he had told the court in his testimony, making it impossible to hear what happened at the gate as he had said in his testimony.
Harare magistrate Victoria Mashamba also went to the witness's office to try and see if it was possible to see people knocking at Chikore's office and ruled that he could only see people going past his door but couldn't see what transpired there contrary to his statement.
Chikore is facing charges of unlawfully detaining the company secretary Bertha Zakeyo at the Zimbabwe Airways premises on June 7 last year.
The State is still to subpoena its last witness Phillipa Phillips who was also present at the premises when Ms Zakeyo was allegedly detained.
Source - hmetro
