dyton mupawaenda
Yeukai Karengezeka–Court Correspondent
Judgment will be delivered on March 4 on former Zimbabwe Football Association president Felton Kamambo on allegations that he bribed his way to the Zifa presidency.
Kamambo concluded his defence yesterday before magistrate Bianca Makwande blaming his predecessor Philip Chiyangwa for making these allegations against him, allegations which he denied.
He told the court that it was surprising that he was being charged for reimbursing money to the delegates that he visited during his campaign period.
“I am surprised that when it is me it is called bribery, but when Chiyangwa was buying bikes and motor cycles for the voters in Zvimba where he was contesting to be an MP it was not bribery.”
He added that Chiyangwa was also behind his arrest a day before elections, but that did not stop him from contesting.
During cross-examination, State Deputy Prosecutor-General Mr Michael Reza said Kamambo paid a total of US$8 310 to 25 delegates as bribes for them to vote for him.
The money he was paying to individuals was too much to only cover accommodation, food and transport since some of them were from Harare.
He went on to claim that Kamambo bribed witness Robert Matoka to become hostile when he came to testify and disowned his own affidavit that was before the court.
Kamambo denied all the allegations arguing that in terms of payments made, he only made them using the list that he was given and the rates used were similar to those of ZIFA.
He further told the court that he paid Makato US$ 5 000 as his fee for being his election agent and owed him nothing anymore.
They said the court should not confuse reimbursing delegates for attending personal campaign meetings and paying delegates for attending the ZIFA election congresses as the two were different things.
The State represented by Mr Michael Reza said it will file its closing submissions on February 16 while Kamambo’s lawyer Mr Admire Rubaya will file his on February 26.
Online Reporter