Category: zimbabwe

Prosper Dembedzan Herald Correspondent

Former Health and Child Care Deputy Minister Dr John Mangwiro yesterday told the court that whenever Mubaiwa walked into the room in which Vice President Constantino Chiwenga was admitted in, he would become unconscious even though he was awake before her arrival.

Dr Mangwiro said this while being cross examined by Mubaiwa’s lawyer Ms Beatrice Mtetwa.

Dr Mangwiro said the complainant’s health condition would start deteriorating each time he was brought back to his house.

“Each time we took the complainant out of the country for medication, he would come back home well. But he would start deteriorating when he got to his home. I don’t know what was happening,” he said.

Dr Mangwiro said Mubaiwa was so powerful that she would kick everyone out of the hospital room.

At one point, she refused to take the complainant to hospital, instead, opting to take him to a hotel saying she wanted to rest.

“The accused once changed the entourage which was taking the complainant to hospital and opted for a hotel. I told her it was dangerous and she said the complainant wanted to rest,” said Dr Mangwiro.

He said Mubaiwa changed the course of things and was powerful.

Ms Mtetwa said if her client haboured any intentions of killing the complainant, she had all the time in all the countries were he was admitted.

Dr Mangwiro responded saying Mubaiwa would make sure that they would all be out of the room when she visited.

He said he once requested for a CCTV system to be installed in the room where Vice President Chiwenga was so that they would ascertain what was happening.

He said he would give daily updates to President Mnangagwa of any incident that would have transpired.

Mubaiwa is facing charges of attempting to kill her ex-husband Vice President Chiwenga by unplugging his life support system in a South African hospital.

Crime Reporter 

Two pedestrians, including a five-year-old girl were seriously injured in separate incidents in Harare and Bulawayo after they were hit and run over  by vehicles last Friday.

Police have since launched a manhunt for the motorists who disappeared following the accidents.

National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed the incidents.

“Police in Harare are investigating a hit and run road traffic accident which occurred along Ardbenie Road, Mbare on November 17, 2023 in which a Toyota Hiace kombi registration number ABG 0405 hit a pedestrian near Waterfalls rank.

“The victim sustained some injuries on the leg and on the wrist. The driver did not stop after the accident,” he said.

In a similar case, police in Bulawayo are investigating a hit-and-run road traffic accident which occurred along Gogo Maluphahla Road in Mzilikazi on November 17 in which a female juvenile aged five years was hit by a white Honda Fit.

The victim sustained some bruises on the chin and forehead. The motorist did not stop after the accident.

Meanwhile in an unrelated incident, police in Epworth are investigating a case of baby dumping in which a body of a baby boy was found wrapped in a plastic at Makomo Dumpsite last Thursday.

No arrests have been made and police are appealing for anyone with information that might assist them to report at any nearest police station.

Crime Reporter 

A man has been arrested in Bindura, Mashonaland Central in possession of 258 grammes of crystal meth, popularly known as mutoriro, worth over US$2 500 as the operation against drug dealers and suppliers continues countrywide.

Pride Jeferry Machiza was arrested last Friday by detectives from CID Drugs and Narcotics and has since appeared in court.

The police operation named “No to dangerous drugs and illicit substances”, has been steadily building up success with more than 6 500 arrested. Dealers always go to court although low level users are often permitted to pay admission of guilt fines.

The police blitz came as Government launched a major effort against drug lords supplying unwanted substances to youths, with police seeking to cut off the source of supply by arresting the suppliers and peddlers while reducing demand through a variety of social and educational programmes often backed by churches and other organisations.

In a statement yesterday, national police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed the large haul of 258g.

In October, Cabinet agreed that all idle provincial Covid-19 isolation centres will be converted into rehabilitation centres, more resources will be mobilised and Dr Agnes Mahomva was appointed the national coordinator of the Inter-Ministerial Taskforce on Drug and Substance Abuse.

Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Dr Jenfan Muswere recently said Cabinet had agreed to put in place stringent measures to strengthen the anti-drug and substance abuse programme.

Some of the measures are to urgently resume capacitation of sub-national structures including traditional leaders and religious group leadership.

“All citizens are urged to participate in the efforts at all levels as consultations are happening across the country; and members of the media have a shared responsibility to identify the networks’ distributors and inform the nation on the types, effects and bases of the criminal networks of drug peddlers within the communities and expose such criminals. All media organisations should also accelerate anti-drug abuse messages across all communities,” said the minister.

Four ZRP drugs and narcotics units were also established at the Beitbridge, Victoria Falls, Chirundu, and Mutare border posts to curtail the inflow of drugs.