Zanu PF’s triumph: 90 seats fall under its control without a fight!

The ruling Zanu PF has been declared as winners in 90 local authority wards across the country after no other parties or individuals successfully filed their nomination papers when the Nomination Court sat in June this year. According to election resul…

The ruling Zanu PF has been declared as winners in 90 local authority wards across the country after no other parties or individuals successfully filed their nomination papers when the Nomination Court sat in June this year. According to election results that have been shown by Zimbabwe Electoral Commission at the National Command Centre this […]

The post Zanu PF’s triumph: 90 seats fall under its control without a fight! first appeared on My Zimbabwe News.

Revolutionary mortgage shake-up: Bank unleashes game-changing rate cuts & increases loan limits

TSB Bank has announced a reduction in its two- and three-year fixed rate deals for new customers, effective from tomorrow, August 25th. The cuts will be up to 0.1 percentage point. The new two-year fixed rates, available for home purchase and remortgag…

TSB Bank has announced a reduction in its two- and three-year fixed rate deals for new customers, effective from tomorrow, August 25th. The cuts will be up to 0.1 percentage point. The new two-year fixed rates, available for home purchase and remortgage deals up to 75% loan to value (LTV), are aimed at attracting customers. […]

The post Revolutionary mortgage shake-up: Bank unleashes game-changing rate cuts & increases loan limits first appeared on My Zimbabwe News.

JUST IN: Zimbabwe’s 2023 elections update

MATABELELAND North Provincial Elections Officer, Mr Richard Sibanda has urged the public to ignore social media reports and wait the official announcements of results via the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission. In an interview at the Matabeleland North Prov…

MATABELELAND North Provincial Elections Officer, Mr Richard Sibanda has urged the public to ignore social media reports and wait the official announcements of results via the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission. In an interview at the Matabeleland North Provincial command centre, Mr Sibanda said the verification process was thorough and it would be premature for people to […]

The post JUST IN: Zimbabwe’s 2023 elections update first appeared on My Zimbabwe News.

Hidden Secrets: Why your trusted friend could betray you and go after your girlfriǝnd!

While it is unfortunate to consider, here are ten hypothetical reasons why a friend might potentially attempt to pursue or engage with your girlfriǝnd: 1. Jealousy Your friend might envy your relɑtionship and desire what you have. 2. Competitive Nature…

While it is unfortunate to consider, here are ten hypothetical reasons why a friend might potentially attempt to pursue or engage with your girlfriǝnd: 1. Jealousy Your friend might envy your relɑtionship and desire what you have. 2. Competitive Nature They may see it as a challenge to win over someone you care about. 3. […]

The post Hidden Secrets: Why your trusted friend could betray you and go after your girlfriǝnd! first appeared on My Zimbabwe News.

State opposes application on illegal Borrowdale billboard case

Prosper Dembedza Herald Correspondent The State has opposed an application by two Harare men who are facing charges of erecting an illegal billboard in Borrowdale with damaging information to a development company saying they wanted to bring back through the back door exception proceedings which were dismissed. Grant Russel and Mark Strathen who are facing […]

State opposes application on illegal Borrowdale billboard case

Prosper Dembedza
Herald Correspondent

The State has opposed an application by two Harare men who are facing charges of erecting an illegal billboard in Borrowdale with damaging information to a development company saying they wanted to bring back through the back door exception proceedings which were dismissed.

Grant Russel and Mark Strathen who are facing criminal nuisance charges through their lawyers wrote to the State on June 6, 2022 asking it either to withdraw the charges against them or alternatively withdraw the charges before plea.

In their application the pair states that if the State is not prepared to withdraw charges, the court should order their removal from further remand.

They said failure to do this would be greatly prejudicing them against the matter that has been decided for in all terms and purposes by the High Court of Zimbabwe.

This prompted the State to respond to the application.

“The State is opposed to such procedure being adopted and insists that the accused persons be subjected to trial whereupon their guilt or innocence will otherwise be proved,” reads part of the State’s response.

The State in it’s response said the facts as alleged disclose an offence.

“The accused attempt to resurrect it’s exception to the charge which was dismissed by magistrate Shane Kubonera and as such this court is functus officio and cannot decide on whether the facts as laid do disclose a charge against the accused persons because such matter had already been dealt with by this court,” noted the State in its response.

The State further stated that it is whimsical for the accused persons to simply allege that they are entitled to an acquittal because the charges do not disclose an offence.

“It must be noted that the accused persons entered a not guilty plea and excepted to the charge which exception was heard and dismissed by Mr Kubonera. There exists no legal basis to unwind the legal clock and resurrect through the back door the exception proceedings heard by Esquire Kubonera with a decision made thereto,” the State said.

Russell and Strathen are currently challenging a High Court order to proceed to trial in their matter after they unsuccessfully sought the court to quash their charges.

The duo had filed their application for exception at the lower court saying the charges were defective and must be quashed but Harare magistrate Mr Kubonera dismissed their application saying they raised triable issues.

Aggrieved by the dismissal of their application, they approached the High Court for review but the upper court again ordered them to proceed to trial and defend themselves.

Prosecutor Mrs Shambadzeni Fungura is on record challenging the accused persons to trial to no avail.

It is the State’s case that on December 10, 2020 at around 2pm on the opposite side of Celebration Church in Borrowdale, Harare, the accused persons erected a billboard with damaging information on WestProperties in a bid to tarnish it’s image.

It was alleged that Russell and Strathen caused false alarm to the public through the information which was written on the billboard.

The State alleges that the billboard erected by the two had contents which were likely to interfere with the ordinary comfort or convenience of the complainant’s clients.

The complainant made a report to the police leading to their arrest.