Online Reporter
Nyore Madzianike-Senior Reporter
FORMER Deputy Minister of Agriculture Douglas Karoro has blamed his fellow Zanu PF party members — Charles Mutukudzi and Takesure Chikwamba — for plotting his political downfall through manufacturing false criminal allegations against him during the run up to the party’s 2023 primary elections in Mbire constituency.
Karoro is facing allegations of fraudulently acquiring agricultural inputs from the Grain Marketing Board meant for the constituency.
He denied the allegations when his trial opened at the Harare Magistrates Court yesterday, saying the accusations were as a result of bad blood between him and his political rivals.
Karoro is jointly charged with GMB manager Lovejoy Ngowe and Dean Dzimunya.
Their trial was yesterday separated from Jeremy Phiri, who has not been attending court.
Yesterday, Mutukudzi appeared in court as a witness to testify against Karoro and his co-accused.
In his testimony, Mutukudzi acknowledged that he was forced to involve himself in the matter to protect his political interests, as he was nowhere near the case.
At the time of Karoro’s arrest, Mutukudzi was the Zanu PF District Coordinating Committee (DCC) deputy chairperson.
Mutukudzi told the court that he went to give evidence to the police in consultation with the then DCC chairperson Chikwamba, who reportedly told him that he was also running an independent investigation into the matter.
He said he received a call from another Zanu PF leader, one Bandera, who told him there was a consignment of fertiliser which was being loaded in trucks at GMB Mushumbi for an unknown destination.
Karoro, through his lawyer Mr Admire Rubaya, during cross-examination, quizzed Mutukudzi over his interest in the case and determination to kick him out of the election race.
Mutukudzi said: “Based on what happened when I got the call from one Bandera and our chairman, I was the then Vice Chairman of District Coordinating Committee and our interest was to protect the political space.
“Bandera was also calling our party senior members reporting what he had seen on the ground.”
During cross-examination, Mutukudzi admitted losing thrice to Karoro in the race to represent Mbire in Parliament.
He also acknowledged that he and Chikwamba even lost the race for the 2023 seat to Karoro after his arrest and while on remand.
He was also questioned why the report of developments at GMB came to him yet he was not an employee of the parastatal or a Government employee.
The matter continues tomorrow before Regional Magistrate Marehwanazvo Gofa.
Mr Oscar Madhume prosecuted.
