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Source: MMCZ to embark on riverbank mining | The Herald March 7, 2019

Minister Shiri

Mash Central Bureau
GOVERNMENT, through the  Minerals Marketing Corporation of Zimbabwe (MMCZ), will soon embark on riverbank mining along major rivers in a bid to tap into precious minerals, Lands, Agriculture, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement Minister Perrance Shiri has said.

Speaking in Bindura recently, Cde Shiri said the exercise, which will also help in the desiltation of rivers, was a great opportunity for Mashonaland Central Province where gold is in abundance and would be starting with Mazowe and Angwa rivers which have become shallower because they are now clogged with sand.

The extracted sand will be sold interested parties.

“We have great rivers which are thought to be holding on to a great deal of precious minerals. We will start by desilting Mazowe and Angwa rivers. Government will be involved together with its partners, which means that Government arms like the MMCZ will be coming to mine in those rivers. The extracted sand will sold to those interested. Those interested in looking for minerals will do the processing of the precious minerals,” Minister Shiri said.

“It is an opportunity for this province where gold is in abundance. It is expected that minerals like gold will be found in these rivers.”

He said private players who are interested in the desiltation exercise should first acquire the requisite licences and look for partners who will bring in the technology and equipment.

Government had suspended the desilting of Mazowe River following illegal mining activities which were being carried out under the guise of river desiltation, forcing the river to divert its course and posing a serious threat to surrounding communities who depend on the river for water.

The post MMCZ to embark on riverbank mining  appeared first on Zimbabwe Situation.

Source: Chombo tortured, but must face trial: Court – NewsDay Zimbabwe March 7, 2019

BY CHARLES LAITON

THE High Court has dismissed an application for a permanent stay of prosecution filed by former Finance minister Ignatius Chombo, who is facing several cases involving corruption, fraud and criminal nuisance.

The court said his abduction by members of the Zimbabwe National Army, during Operation Restore Legacy in November 2017, was not meant to extract a confession for criminal offences against him.

Following his arrest and his subsequent appearance in court on criminal charges, Chombo petitioned the High Court last year, seeking an order to compel the National Prosecuting Authority and its boss Prosecutor-General Kumbirai Hodzi to permanently suspend his prosecution alleging violation of his constitutional rights as enshrined in the Bill of Rights.

In his earlier application, the former minister said on November 15, 2017 at midnight, his premises were raided, commando style, by AK47 assault rifle-wielding soldiers who then forced entry into his main house where they pointed a gun to his head, handcuffed, chained and blindfolded him before whisking him away.

Chombo said on November 23, 2017, he was released by his abductors, but after being dropped at home, he was immediately arrested by members of the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP), who detained him and eventually took him to court.

“I have already found that the circumstances under which the applicant (Chombo) was raided, handcuffed, blindfolded and frog-marched to a vehicle which took him to an unknown place where he was held captive for almost nine days, have not been refuted in a meaningful way. I find that indeed that mistreatment occurred as a result of which there were infringements of the applicant’s constitutional rights as alleged. The question which arises, therefore, is whether the appropriate remedy should be an order for permanent stay of prosecution,” Justice Nicholas Mathonsi said in his judgment.

The violation of Chombo’s rights by the army appeared to have been undertaken for no discernible reason at all, the judge said, adding that excessive force and violence was used to capture him leaving a trail of destruction.

“He was then held for sometime in movie-style while nothing meaningful was happening except to keep him in isolation for a lengthy period while extraneous questions were routinely put to him for nothing, but the amusement of his interrogators. He was not subjected to physical assault and neither was there an attempt to extract evidence or a confession from him in respect of the offences he is now facing. It is quite strange indeed,” Justice Mathonsi said.

“I have no choice in the matter, but to apply the principle that where the torture or ill-treatment of an accused person prior to charges being preferred against him or her has not resulted in a confession or the extraction of evidence sought to be used by the prosecution at the criminal trial, but the prosecution is relying on other evidence not obtained illegally, the accused person is not entitled to an order of permanent stay of prosecution even though he or she was ill-treated or tortured.”

The post Chombo tortured, but must face trial: Court  appeared first on Zimbabwe Situation.

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THE City of Harare has released water cuts timetable in light of the current acute shortages of water. The idea is to ensure that at least every connected house gets water twice a week. Find the list below: