News / National
Chief Ndiweni reacts to warrant of arrest
21 Dec 2021 at 01:14hrs | Views
DETHRRONED Ntabazinduna Chief Nhlanhlayamangwe Ndiweni has reacted angrily to a warrant of arrest issued against him by Bulawayo magistrate Maxwell Ncube last week.
Ndiweni left the country for the United Kingdom after he was released on $500 bail pending appeal against conviction and sentence.
The outspoken former chief was sentenced to 18 months in jail in August 2019 for allegedly ordering 23 villagers to destroy property belonging to one of his subjects Fatti Mbele in a bid to banish him from the area.
The damaged property was reportedly worth less than US$20.
After he was released on bail, Ndiweni went to the UK purportedly to seek medical attention and has not returned since.
His bail conditions were that he should report to the police once a week and reside at his given address until the matter was finalised.
Police filed for a warrant of arrest and the Ncube granted the application.
But Ndiweni said he would challenge the warrant of arrest because it had no merit.
"Since it has now been two years of waiting for such a simple straightforward case to be heard, it is this case that has been used to try and issue an arrest warrant, an international arrest warrant for £8,50. What is Zimbabwe coming to," Ndiweni said.
"Once discharged from treatment from the hospital, here in the UK, I will return to Zimbabwe, irrespective of whether the "arrest warrant" is there or not.
"For the ‘chief' has work to do in Zimbabwe. We live in amazing and interesting times. We observe a government in total disarray, lurching from one crisis to another crisis."
Ndiweni was dethroned on November 30, 2019 and stripped of government benefits.
Ndiweni said he had left the country to seek medical attention for an eye ailment. He said the case in which he was convicted was politically driven.
"The footprints of Zanu-PF were everywhere, in this matter. The footprints of political corruption were all over it.
"Indeed footprints which will be addressed, when a proper government takes office, for corruption and misuse of public office," Ndiweni said.
Ndiweni's lawyer Dumisani Dube yesterday said he only read about the warrant of arrest against his client in newspapers.
"I have only read about it in the papers, I will follow up and check with the courts," Dube said.
Ndiweni left the country for the United Kingdom after he was released on $500 bail pending appeal against conviction and sentence.
The outspoken former chief was sentenced to 18 months in jail in August 2019 for allegedly ordering 23 villagers to destroy property belonging to one of his subjects Fatti Mbele in a bid to banish him from the area.
The damaged property was reportedly worth less than US$20.
After he was released on bail, Ndiweni went to the UK purportedly to seek medical attention and has not returned since.
His bail conditions were that he should report to the police once a week and reside at his given address until the matter was finalised.
Police filed for a warrant of arrest and the Ncube granted the application.
But Ndiweni said he would challenge the warrant of arrest because it had no merit.
"Once discharged from treatment from the hospital, here in the UK, I will return to Zimbabwe, irrespective of whether the "arrest warrant" is there or not.
"For the ‘chief' has work to do in Zimbabwe. We live in amazing and interesting times. We observe a government in total disarray, lurching from one crisis to another crisis."
Ndiweni was dethroned on November 30, 2019 and stripped of government benefits.
Ndiweni said he had left the country to seek medical attention for an eye ailment. He said the case in which he was convicted was politically driven.
"The footprints of Zanu-PF were everywhere, in this matter. The footprints of political corruption were all over it.
"Indeed footprints which will be addressed, when a proper government takes office, for corruption and misuse of public office," Ndiweni said.
Ndiweni's lawyer Dumisani Dube yesterday said he only read about the warrant of arrest against his client in newspapers.
"I have only read about it in the papers, I will follow up and check with the courts," Dube said.
Source - NewsDay Zimbabwe
