admindeal fraud case against unnecessarily mentioning the name of the First Lady Amai Grace Mugabe.
The Office argues that the First Lady was never part of the prosecution’s case.
Chief law officer Mr Chris Mutangadura objected to the naming of the First Lady when she was never mentioned in the papers relied upon by the State. Mr Mutangadura said defence lawyer Mrs Beatrice Mtetwa had no basis of repeatedly mentioning Amai Mugabe’s name because she had no evidence in linking the First Lady to the case.
But magistrate Mr Shane Kubonera could not make a ruling on the objection after Mrs Mtetwa indicated that she was not giving evidence but just cross-examining a witness.
She was cross-examining the investigating officer Assistant Commissioner Godfrey Munyonga as the case continued yesterday.
“The State objects to the continued mention of the First Lady because there is no evidence to support that. It is prejudicial to continuously refer to parties not mentioned in the State papers. The First Lady is not mentioned in the State papers,” said Mr Mutangadura.
He said the trial could not continue in the absence of Ping Sung Hseih who is the co- accused in the case.
Ping who owns companies in South Africa, Hong Kong and China is accused of hiring the four drivers to deliver the trucks to Mrs Olga Bungu.
The court heard the extradition of Hseih was at an advanced stage since the trial date has been set for August 29. The South African Justice Minister has been co-operative, the court heard.
Mrs Mtetwa, who is representing the four truck drivers, made an application to the court for the release of the four pending the extradition of Hseih.
However, Mr Kubonera postponed the matter to August 2 for the finalisation of the appeal. The four drivers – Cassim Jee Bilal (28), Henry Radebe (57), Samuel Risimati Baloyi and Sydney Masitho Sekgobela (40) – have been in custody here since their arrest five months ago.
Hseih is accused of defrauding Mrs Bungu, who wanted to import haulage trucks from SA, of US$1 million.
The money was transferred to Hsieh’s firm, Chantrea Trading in SA, in August 2008.
The four drivers were allegedly hired to bring the Iveco trucks with South African number plates registered under one of Ping’s companies, Fast Truck Haulage CC.
They allegedly had a temporary import permit, which they intended to take back to South Africa.
Online Reporter