admin
Tendai Rupapa Harare Bureau
THE witness testifying in a case in which jailed church leader Robert Martin Gumbura is accused of masterminding a foiled jailbreak yesterday narrated to the court how Gumbura was working with former Vice President Joice Mujuru and her followers to dethrone the government and assassinate Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
State witness Claudius Mutizwa said Gumbura was being used by Mujuru and other former government officials who wanted to form their own political party.
Mutizwa told the court that Gumbura was to mobilise inmates while the alleged coup plotter and former army captain Albert Matapo was to mobilise manpower and weapons to start a civil war. “The outside manpower was to advance towards Chikurubi Maximum Prison and assist the prisoners to escape. The signal was going to come from the burning blankets,” he said.
“If they had managed to escape, they were going to get hold of government officials while President Mugabe was in China. They wanted to get military weapons from the army and police bases and their main target was Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa who was the acting President then. They didn’t even want President Mugabe to land in the country,” Mutizwa said.
He added that the coup plotters were going to be joined by Mujuru and other political heavyweights who followed her. Gumbura would then be heavily rewarded. “While they were planning, they said that for their plans to succeed, there should be a bloodbath,” Mutizwa said.
He also said that the deputy officer-in-charge of Chikurubi Maximum Security Prison Superintendent Jealous Dumbura who was working with them was promised “heaven on earth” after the mission.
Mutizwa said that Dumbura was always complaining to Gumbura that he had not received anything from ZPCS despite serving in the force for 20 years. “He told Gumbura that he was not being promoted to a more senior rank. Gumbura then promised him heaven on earth if he was to work with them,” he said.
Gumbura’s lawyer Tapson Dzvetero read part of Mutizwa’s police statement in which he exonerated Gumbura from any wrong doing saying that he did not participate in the foiled jailbreak. However, Mutizwa denied saying that to the police adding that it could be a typing error.
He left the gallery in stitches when he was asked by Dzvetero if he had any proof to substantiate his allegations against Gumbura. “Yes, I’ve tangible proof that the accused person is sitting in the dock, which means he has a case to answer and the other evidence is that I’m testifying against him,” Mutizwa said.
The magistrate Francis Mapfumo rolled over the matter to today for continuatuion of trial. Michael Reza prosecuted. Gumbura is jointly charged with Blessing Chauke, 25, Lucky Mhungu, 38, Taurai Dodzo, 47, Thomas Chacha, 37, Thulani Chizema, 32, Jacob Sibanda, 28, Elijah Vhumbunu, 38, and armed robber Lucky Matambanadzo, 39.
The nine are accused of masterminding the foiled jailbreak.
Online Reporter