Ex-Chief Magistrate back in court

Zvikomborero Parafini

FORMER Chief magistrate, Mishrod Guvamombe, was yesterday indicted for trial at the High Court in the matter he is accused of interfering with a magistrate.

Guvamombe appeared before Harare regional magistrate, Stanford Mambanje.

The trial initially kicked off last year at the High Court but one of the assessors passed away and it has had to restart.

Allegations are that sometime in 2017, the Chief Magistrate, and in the exercise of his functions to supervise, coordinate, investigate, handling of complaints, advocating for welfare and providing leadership, unlawfully interfered with judicial proceedings by exerting pressure on the trial Magistrate Elijah Makomo (as he then was) to recuse himself in the State versus Nathan Mnaba case.

It was under Harare Magistrates Court CRB R364/17.

Guvamombe’s intervention, according to the State, was without any application by either of the parties in the case.

The intervention was for the purpose of showing favour to Mnaba.

Guvamombe is also facing an alternative charge of obstruction of justice.