News / National
Magistrate questions bombing suspect’s sanity
24 Jun 2016 at 06:43hrs | Views
Jailed Zimbabwe People's Front president Owen Kuchata could have lost his mind after he mumbled incoherent statements about President Mugabe in court, Harare magistrate, Mr Tendai Mahwe said yesterday.
Kuchata, who is serving nine years for banditry and money laundering, appeared in court yesterday alongside Borman Ngwenya, Solomon Makumbe and Silas Pfupa. Kuchata told the court that he wanted to expose certain things between him and President Mugabe.
"I am afraid that when this matter starts, he (President Mugabe) will be told the information and the exhibits will be recovered and be hidden," said Kuchata. "I pleaded guilty to my charge."
Mr Mahwe interjected and asked Kuchata what his request to the court was.
He replied: "My request is that when I committed the offence, I wanted the complainant to know that some of the things he thought were not known are now known."
Mr Mahwe advised Kuchata that the matter was not yet set down for hearing and he should tell the court if he had any problem with being remanded to July 7.
"Are you normal accused person?" asked Mr Mahwe.
Kuchata said he had no problem with the remand and his mind was settled.
The matter was adjourned to July 7.
Kuchata is jointly charged with Ngwenya, a soldier attached to military intelligence, Makumbe also a Zimbabwe National Army corporal and Pfupa an ex-soldier.
The four were arrested early this year after their abortive plot to bomb the First Family's dairy farm in Mazowe.
Makumbe and Pfupa are represented by Mrs Gamuchira Dzitiro while Ngwenya is being represented by Mr Exactly Mangezi.
Kuchata is a self actor.
The quartet allegedly established a militia training base in Mapinga, Mashonaland West province, where they planned to commit terror acts, sabotage and banditry.
On January 1, this year, they allegedly proceeded to President Mugabe's rural home in Zvimba where they carried out reconnaissance, identifying suitable vulnerable points to sabotage.
It is alleged the four held several meetings at Queens Hotel in Harare mapping strategies on how they would strike.
Police received a tip-off that the four were planning to bomb Alpha Omega Dairy's processing plant and a tuckshop during the night.
Acting on the a lead, the police proceeded to the farm and laid an ambush about 100 metres from the quartet's target.
At around 10pm, the detectives saw the men approaching the processing plant and immediately arrested them.
Kuchata, who is serving nine years for banditry and money laundering, appeared in court yesterday alongside Borman Ngwenya, Solomon Makumbe and Silas Pfupa. Kuchata told the court that he wanted to expose certain things between him and President Mugabe.
"I am afraid that when this matter starts, he (President Mugabe) will be told the information and the exhibits will be recovered and be hidden," said Kuchata. "I pleaded guilty to my charge."
Mr Mahwe interjected and asked Kuchata what his request to the court was.
He replied: "My request is that when I committed the offence, I wanted the complainant to know that some of the things he thought were not known are now known."
Mr Mahwe advised Kuchata that the matter was not yet set down for hearing and he should tell the court if he had any problem with being remanded to July 7.
"Are you normal accused person?" asked Mr Mahwe.
Kuchata said he had no problem with the remand and his mind was settled.
The matter was adjourned to July 7.
The four were arrested early this year after their abortive plot to bomb the First Family's dairy farm in Mazowe.
Makumbe and Pfupa are represented by Mrs Gamuchira Dzitiro while Ngwenya is being represented by Mr Exactly Mangezi.
Kuchata is a self actor.
The quartet allegedly established a militia training base in Mapinga, Mashonaland West province, where they planned to commit terror acts, sabotage and banditry.
On January 1, this year, they allegedly proceeded to President Mugabe's rural home in Zvimba where they carried out reconnaissance, identifying suitable vulnerable points to sabotage.
It is alleged the four held several meetings at Queens Hotel in Harare mapping strategies on how they would strike.
Police received a tip-off that the four were planning to bomb Alpha Omega Dairy's processing plant and a tuckshop during the night.
Acting on the a lead, the police proceeded to the farm and laid an ambush about 100 metres from the quartet's target.
At around 10pm, the detectives saw the men approaching the processing plant and immediately arrested them.
Source - the herald
