'Baba Jukwa' accomplice, mom-in-law to the rescue

Mother in law of Phillip Kudzayi, Virginia Rumbidzai Mutanda, has come to the accused's rescue after she offered to surrender the title deeds of a stand she owns in Bluffhill, Harare as part of the accused's bail conditions requirements.

Phillip, brother of freed Sunday Mail editor, Edmund, was on Friday granted bail by the High Court with similar stringent conditions given to his sibling.

Phillip, who is facing charges of attempting to commit an act of insurgency, banditry, sabotage or terrorism was granted $5 000 bail by High Court judge, Justice Joseph Musakwa.

Mutanda offered to surrender title deeds for the property in addition to other conditions in an application submitted by defence lawyer, Admire Rubaya.

In addition, Justice Musakwa ordered Philip to reside at 19 Northcliff, Tongogara and Colquhoun Avenue, Harare until the matter was finalised, report twice at Harare Central Police Station, CID Law and Order Section between 0600 hrs and 1000 hrs, as well as 1500 hrs and 1800 hrs and that he surrenders his passport to the clerk of court, Harare Magistrates' Courts.

Phillip was also ordered not to go beyond 40 km radius from the Harare Main Post Office without leave of the courts. He also must not interfere with witnesses. The acccused was further ordered not to interfere with investigations or temper with any evidence against him. Accused also has to surrender password(s) to the email account philkudzayi@gmail.com to the investigative officer, Assistant Commissioner, Crispen Makedenge.

Chief Law officer Tawanda Zvekare who represented the state said he did not oppose bail. If convicted, Phillip faces life in prison.

According to the state Phillip, who was arrested by police last week, sometime in April 2013, in connivance with his brother, Edmund and other accomplices still at large, hatched a plan to overthrow the government of Zimbabwe by unconstitutional means in the run up to the July 31 2013 general elections.

The state alleged that Philip created a gmail account called babajukwa2013@gmail account using his econet line number 0771 446 541 which is being used by his brother Edmund.

The gmail account was used to create a facebook account called Baba Jukwa.

The accused allegedly planned and organised with his accomplices calling themselves The Gunda Nyela Brigade and Zimbabwe Revolutionary Army, to overthrow the Zimbabwe government by forceful means and urged people to join the Zimbabwe Revolutionary Army.

Phillip, with his accomplices, is alleged to have posted articles on Baba Jukwa Facebook page which encouraged rebellion against the government if the July 2013 elections were stolen.

Phillip is also alleged to be involved in the posting of articles to the effect that they had a Dare Rechimurenga in place and that a team was on the ground studying the situation in Zimbabwe if it became necessary to wage war.

The state alleges that the creation of Baba Jukwa face book page was meant to whip up emotions from those who would have accessed the account.

On May 20 2014, The Sunday Mail published a story about the true identity of Baba Jukwa titled 'Hackers unmask Baba Jukwa', but the state alleged that Phillip and his accomplices were to the contrary in control of Baba Jukwa gmail account as his details were on the recovery panel of the said account.

Police investigations revealed that the accused opened an account with a local bank in which he accessed payments made for Amai Jukwa articles, allegedly authored and published by Edmund.

The investigations also revealed that Baba Jukwa Facebook and gmail accounts were never hacked into but were being run by its administrators from different locations globally.