Maridadi's warrant of arrest cancelled

The court last week cancelled an arrest warrant which it had issued against MDC-T Member of Parliament for Mabvuku-Tafara James Maridadi after the legislator notified the court that he had been sick.

Maridadi told the court that he was not in wilful default, but was not feeling well that day.

Harare Magistrate Mr Takunda Mtetwa told the legislator to come back to court on March 10 for trial continuation.

Maridadi is facing charges of unauthorised borrowing or use of property after allegedly grabbing, in a fit of rage, a parking ticket book worth $2,50 from a National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) salesman. He is on $100 bail.

The MDC-T legislator was supposed to appear in court for continuation of his trial on January 28 but was in no-show.

Allegations are that on October 9, Zivanai Muzokomba, who is employed by the NRZ as a ticket salesman, was manning the NRZ parcels parking zone and was receipting parking fees.

It is alleged that Maridadi parked his vehicle at the NRZ-controlled car park.

Muzokomba waited for Maridadi's return and when he asked the legislator to pay the parking fees, Maridadi became furious and demanded to see the ticket book which the salesman was using.

Muzokomba, the court heard, showed Maridadi the ticket book but the legislator grabbed the book and drove away along Kenneth Kaunda Avenue.

It is the State's case that Muzokomba noted down Maridadi's vehicle registration number and reported the case at Harare Central Police Station.

A Central Vehicle Registry check revealed that the legislator owned the vehicle, leading to his arrest.