Zim News Blog -NEWS NETWORK

Source: Chief Magistrate objects to trial by subordinates | Daily News

HARARE – Suspended chief magistrate Mishrod Guvamombe yesterday gave notice that he would be applying to have his criminal abuse office case heard in the High Court, rejecting attempts to have him tried by his juniors at the Rotten Row court.

Guvamombe’s lawyer Jonathan Samukange advised Harare regional magistrate Morgan Nemadire of his client’s request and said a full application would be made.“The accused person would want to be tried at the High Court since all the magistrates here are his juniors,” Samukange said. Zivanai Macharaga of the Anti-Corruption Unit in the President’s Office said he would consider the issue once it is formally brought to his attention.

The matter was remanded to March 18.
According to the State, sometime in June 2017, magistrate Elijah Makomo was assigned a criminal case in which one Nathan Mnaba was the accused and Nighert Savania the complainant.
During the trial, numerous applications were allegedly made by the defence which was dismissed due to lack of merit.

This allegedly prompted the defence to approach Makomo, who was presiding over the matter on June 26, 2017 demanding that he recuses himself from the case. Makomo is said to have turned down the request and advised them to file their application with the High Court or make a formal application with him.

Makomo was later advised to report to Guvamombe’s office with Nathan’s court record and was told that he was mishandling the matter and as such he should recuse himself even though there was no formal application from the defence for his recusal.
The court heard that Guvamombe went on to handle the complainant despite the fact that he had a previous business relationship with Nathan’s father.

Guvamombe is also accused of offering internship to former ministers Supa Mandiwanzira and Saviour Kasukuwere who are both studying law at the University of Zimbabwe.

The post Chief Magistrate objects to trial by subordinates appeared first on Zimbabwe Situation.

VILLAGERS of Masiyandumbi Village in Gokwe are living in fear of crocodiles and mermaids that seem to have moulded a formidable combination to give villagers in the area torrid times. Nyawaya Dam in Masiyandumbi Village under Chief Chireya has become a haven of mermaids and crocodiles that have been devouring livestock willy-nilly. In folklore, a […]

Source: Khupe defends ED dialogue initiatives | Newsday (News)

BY NQOBANI NDLOVU

The Thokozani Khupe-led MDC-T says it will only abandon dialogue with President Emmerson Mnangagwa if the Zanu PF leader proves insincere.

MDC-T has been attending the national dialogue meetings called by Mnangagwa and boycotted by opposition MDC leader Nelson Chamisa and others, including former Vice-President Joice Mujuru.

Chamisa’s party has put forward conditions to the talks, which include a neutral chair and a discussion on Mnangagwa’s legitimacy, a suggestion that has been shot down by Zanu PF.

MDC-T has been castigated for attending the talks, but party chairperson Abednico Bhebhe said they would continue engaging with government and would quit once convinced the President was insincere.

“There are some people that are saying we must pull out of the talks, but the whole idea is to find solutions to all the problems we face . . . We will only withdraw from the talks after we see that he (President) is not sincere; as for now, we can’t measure sincerity by withdrawing,” Bhebhe said.

Churches have also been in the forefront, offering to broker national dialogue amid reports that some regional and international groupings such as the South African-based organisation, In Transformation Initiative, which supports transitional processes in Africa, have also pledged technical support.

Organisations such as Zimbabwe Dialogues (ZD), a merger of the Peace Initiatives in Africa and the South Africa-based Zimbabwe Institute, have also been working with parliamentarians so that they position themselves in the national dialogue processes.

Reports also indicate that organisations such as the Institute for Integrated Transitions (IFIT), operating from Barcelona and Spain, have been coming in and out of Harare to explore possibilities of offering technical support to the proposed national dialogue.

The post Khupe defends ED dialogue initiatives appeared first on NewsDay Zimbabwe.

The post Khupe defends ED dialogue initiatives appeared first on Zimbabwe Situation.

Source: MDC Masvingo rubbishes Mwonzora endorsement claims | Newsday (News)

BY GARIKAI MAFIRAKUREVA/NQOBANI NDLOVU

MDC’s Masvingo provincial spokesperson, Dusty Zivhave, has dismissed claims circulating on social media that the province has endorsed secretary-general Douglas Mwonzora’s candidacy for the party’s presidency at the elective congress to be held in May.

Zivhave said the meeting held at the party offices in Masvingo on Wednesday did not discuss the nominations or endorsements of congress candidates.

“That is the work of our detractors who are peddling lies on social media, trying to sow seeds of discontent and division ahead of a crucial congress to be held in May this year. The claims are unfounded and silly, to say the least. Unless if there was another meeting held somewhere in town by State security agents or Zanu PF thugs who endorsed Mwonzora, which I doubt. The provincial assembly was held at our offices at number 132 Mukwa Street in Rhodene and we never discussed that issue,” he said.

“The truth is we were discussing issues to do with how the congress is going to be held and who is eligible to vote. We never talked about nominations or endorsements because this is not the time. The provincial members will hold meetings with district assemblies, who will in turn hold meetings with wards and so on.”

A bogus Facebook character known as Tirimusango Wenje claimed that Masvingo had endorsed Mwonzora, while a Simon Wezhira posted on Democracy Advocate Initiative page: “Dougie (Mwonzora) for office. We are tired of (the) immature leadership of Wamba.”

MDC leader Nelson Chamisa on Sunday said all party positions would be contested.

The post MDC Masvingo rubbishes Mwonzora endorsement claims appeared first on NewsDay Zimbabwe.

The post MDC Masvingo rubbishes Mwonzora endorsement claims appeared first on Zimbabwe Situation.

Source: New date for Magaya tax evasion case | The Herald March 1, 2019

Walter Magaya

Tendai Rupapa Senior Reporter
A representative of Walter Magaya’s Prophetic Healing and Deliverance (PHD) Ministries appeared in court yesterday for trial on charges of the church evading paying tax on income amounting to more than $28 million.

Magaya and his wife Tendai also stand accused of drawing millions in salaries from the church account without paying Pay As You Earn (PAYE).

Before the trial could commence yesterday, defence lawyers made an application for more time to prepare their defence, arguing that they were served with the relevant papers on Wednesday.

Regional magistrate Mr Hoseah Mujaya acceded to the application and set March 21 as the new trial date. Mr Nelson Marimo was the church representative, while Mr Everson Chatambudza was the defence lawyer. Mr Chatambudza said he was served with the relevant papers on Wednesday by prosecutor Mr George Manokore, hence the need for additional time to prepare the defence. To support his application for postponement, Mr Chatambudza indicated that there were some issues they needed to verify and agree on with the State before the trial commenced.

Magaya’s church is being charged for breaching Value Added Tax (VAT) regulations on over $28 million realised from sale of church wares since 2013.

According to the State, the church raises revenue from selling church regalia, anointing oil, holy water and from its guest house. It is alleged that sometime in October last year, the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA) conducted tax investigations and recovered financial statements from PHD for the period extending from 2013 to 2017.

The court heard that ZIMRA recovered financial statements from the Commercial Bank of Zimbabwe which were submitted by PHD for a loan application.

The statements showed that the church realised sales amounting to $28 706 040 between 2013 and 2017.

It is alleged that during that period, the church did not submit income tax returns to ZIMRA. The court heard that during the same period, PHD paid remuneration amounting to $950 522,99 to Magaya’s wife, Tendai, directly into her personal Stanbic Bank account.

PHD also transferred remuneration of US $2 403 658,24 to Magaya’s Stanbic Bank account and on both occasions, the church evaded tax by not paying Pay As You Earn.

It is the State case that Magaya’s church had no records of all  goods and services that it sells and purchases, in violation of the VAT Act.

The post New date for Magaya tax evasion case appeared first on Zimbabwe Situation.