adminMDC-T hijacks peace prayer programme
Sydney Kawadza Assistant News Editor
Peace prayers organised by a group of pastors have been reportedly ahead of
Good Samaritan turns villain
George Maponga Masvingo Bureau
A GOOD Samaritan last week accidentally shot and killed an 80-year-old granny he intended to rescue from a knife-wielding thief.
Reason Chivakire (39) of Rhodene, Masvingo, allegedly killed Ambuya Tererai Marima of Vhiyayi Village under Chief Mkanganwi in Bikita.
The granny and her grandson Simbarashe Chitiga (24) had been held hostage in their car by a robber along the Masvingo-Mutare highway.
Masvingo police spokesman Ins-pector Tineyi Matake confirmed the incident.
He said investigations were in progress.
“We are still investigating the case, but no arrests have been made.
“We are still looking for the robber who held the now deceased and her grandson hostage in their car. He fled from the scene after the fatal shooting,’’ said Insp Matake.
He said on the fateful day, Ambuya Marima and her grandson were travelling to Masvingo from Bikita in the latter’s car along the Mutare-Masvingo highway.
On approaching Mutimurefu prison, Ambuya Marima allegedly asked her grandson to stop the vehicle so they could pray.
Simbarashe complied and they both disembarked from the vehicle.
EU itching to mend Zim ties — envoy
Tendai Mugabe Senior Reporter
THE European Union is itching to normalise relations with Zimbabwe with the 27-member bloc last week announcing that suitable dates were being set to resume dialogue.
Head of the EU Delegation to Zimbabwe Ambassador Aldo Dell Ariccia said last Thursday that the European bloc “wished to seriously engage in political dialogue with Zimbabwe”.
Ambassador Dell Ariccia said the EU’s commitment was also shown by the group’s suspension of travel sanctions on two Zanu-PF members of the re-engagement team.
The ministers are Simbarashe Mumbengegwi (Foreign Affairs) and Patrick Chinamasa (Justice and Legal Affairs), who are also negotiators.
Ambassador Dell Ariccia said the suspension of travel bans will ensure the whole team can travel to
Brussels for “high-level consultations” anytime.
“The EU wishes to re-engage in a serious political dialogue with Zimbabwe. We hope that the dialogue will help define further steps towards a complete normalisation of EU-Zimbabwe relations.
“The EU is currently exploring a suitable date for a meeting to be held in Brussels, which would be hosted by the chief of EU diplomacy, HR/VP Catherine Ashton and the Zimbabwean ministers of the re-engagement team,” he said.
3 judges under fire
Daniel Nemukuyu Senior Court Reporter
CHIEF Justice Godfrey Chidyausiku has expressed displeasure with the performance of three High Court judges whom he accused of delaying in handing down judgments, urging them to improve.
Justice Chidyausiku, however, said he had no problems with the general performance of the rest of the bench.
The Chief Justice, who also chairs the Judicial Service Commission, said he had since talked to the judges in question.
He however, did not name them.
Addressing judges and other members of the Judicial Service Commission at the launch of the strategic plan and code of ethics for judges recently, the Chief Justice said those few judges were tainting the image of the judiciary.
“As the head of the judiciary, I am satisfied with the overall performance of the judges. They are doing their best under near-impossible conditions.
“The majority of judges hand down their judgments timeously. However, I regret to admit that at least two or three judges of the High Court have persistently inordinately delayed in handing down judgments.
“I have had an occasion to speak to these judges over this issue.”
Chinese couple to know fate on Friday
Court Reporter
THE Chinese couple and a local businessman accused of swindling a furniture company of shares worth US$500 000 will know their fate this Friday when a regional magistrate is expected to deliver judgment on the matter. The couple, Zhaosheng Wu
Tafara brother killer in court
Court Reporter
A TAFARA man, Tendai Mungororo (43), who shot and killed his younger, 33-year-old brother Tichafunga, in a fight over parking space, on Thursday appeared in court charged with murder. Tendai was not formally charged when he appeared before
Law officer accused of US$700 000 fraud
Court Reporter
A LAW officer last week appeared before a Harare magistrate facing fraud charges involving US$700 000. Karen Bopoto (27), a lawyer attached to the Ministry of Justice’s Legal Aid Directorate, is jointly charged with Shine Bhakira (26). Their accomplice,
Chief appeals to Parks to contain stray elephants
Noah Pito in Hurungwe
Chief Nematombo of Hurungwe is appealing to the Zimbabwe National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority to swiftly drive out herds of elephants that are wreaking havoc in the area. In an interview recently, the chief said several herds of up to 14
Heavy rains kill five in Brazil
Sao Paulo. — Civil defence officials say mudslides triggered by heavy rains have killed at least five people and injured another 15 in south-eastern Brazil.
The Civil Defence Department of the city of Teresopolis said a daylong downpour in the mountains north of Rio de Janeiro caused 20 mudslides that forced more