Former VP Mphoko’s trial deferred as lawyer is involved in car accident

Prosper Dembedza Court Correspondent
The trial of former Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko on criminal abuse of office charges failed to continue today following indications that his lawyer Mr Zibusiso Ncube was involved in a car accident.

Harare regional magistrate Mr Trynos Utahwashe deferred the matter to July 8 for trial continuation.

It is the State’s case that Mphoko allegedly instructed junior officers at Avondale Police Station in Harare to release former Zimbabwe National Road Administration (Zinara) acting chief executive Moses Juma and former board member Davison Norupiri, who was Zinara’s finance committee chairperson from the cells.

According to the State’s papers, the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) received a case in which Juma and Norupiri were being accused of fraud and criminal abuse of office on May 6, 2016.

Investigations resulted in the arrest of the two for criminal abuse of office.