adminBotswana official acquitted
Court ReporterThe Deputy Registrar of the High Court of Botswana, who was facing fraud charges for fraudulently auctioning a house belonging to a Harare woman, has been acquitted. Jacob Manzunzu (52) was facing
Auditor bares all in Chi-town council case
Court ReporterCHITUNGWIZA Municipality chief internal auditor yesterday said US$280 000 was siphoned from council’s two bank accounts without requisite supporting documents. Mr Takesure Mudiwa was giving evidence in
Convicted armed robber bolts
Mutare BureauA convicted armed robber escaped at the Mutare Magistrates’ Courts on Tuesday after being escorted by a prison officer outside the courtroom to “give his brother money”. Langson Martin has since
Chombo backs car sales demolition
Municipal Reporter
Local Government, Urban and Rural Development Minister Ignatius Chombo has backed the Harare City Council’s clampdown on illegal car sales. Minister Chombo yesterday described claims by the Zanu-PF
Poison saga deepens
Michael Chideme and Freeman Razemba
POLICE have arrested a manager with a local transport company over the delivery of toxic sodium cyanide
Jermaine Jackson distances himself from family letter
Los Angeles. — Jermaine Jackson has officially distanced himself from a family letter criticising the Michael Jackson Estate. However, the brother of the late singer — who died in June 2009 — still has
No trial for cellphone use while driving — judge
Bulawayo Bureau
THERE is no law that authorises police to refer cases of motorists caught using a mobile phone while driving to court for trial, a High Court judge has said.
In a landmark judgment handed down on his behalf by Justice Lawrence Kamocha in the case of Zaine Babbage, Justice Maphios Cheda yesterday said there is no legal reason why someone who has contravened Section 16B (1) (a) of Statutory Instrument 2999/2002 should be referred to court for sentence for an offence under this section unless the offender is a repeat one or the circumstance under which the offence is committed is aggravated.
Justice Cheda, with Justice Kamocha agreeing, said police are empowered to impose a fine not exceeding US$200 depending on their regulations.
“There is no specific penalty for contravening Section 16B (1) (a) of Statutory Instrument 299/2002 (using a mobile phone while driving but, such penalty is found in the proviso of Section 81 (5) of the Road Traffic Act, Chapter 13:11, which states that no such penalty shall exceed a fine of level 5 or imprisonment for a period of six months or both such fine and such imprisonment,” said the judge.
A level 5 fine is US$200 and the judge noted that it should be reserved for more serious and aggravated cases.
Politburo raises questions over Copac’s draft
Herbert Zharare and Farirai Machivenyika
ZANU-PF’S Politburo has, in its audit of Copac’s final draft Constitution against the national report, raised questions on why the people’s views were not properly captured.
Sources who attended Wednesday’s meeting said the leadership wanted its members in the Copac management committee to explain the discrepancies.
Politburo members said the management committee should have ensured the draft did not deviate from what was captured during the outreach programme.
The party, which said it was close to finding common ground on sticky issues in the draft Constitution, would finalise its position at another meeting slated for next Wednesday.
Zanu-PF spokesperson Cde Rugare Gumbo yesterday said: “There are areas they (Copac) did not deal with candidly. We want the Constitution to reflect some of those values.
“That is why the party is saying let us look at the document chapter-by-chapter, sentence-by-sentence and word-by-word.
Zim bowling team continue to shine
From Mbachi Mutukula-Maregere in South AfricaTHE Zimbabwe team continued to do well at the Africa State bowls tournament here at Umhlali Country Club. Yesterday will be memorable for the Zimbabwe women’s fours team as they defeated the hosts.
Zim U-19 cricket team leave
Sports ReporterTHE Zimbabwe Under-19 cricket team is expected to leave this afternoon for Australia for the ICC Under-19 World Cup and they are confident that they have a strong side which will do well. The