adminThabani Mpofu, Felix Matsinde and Mehluli Tshuma, all former public prosecutors, and Warship Dumba, a former Harare councillor, are facing charges of impersonating the police, possessing articles for criminal use and breaching the Official Secrets Act.
The quartet yesterday appeared before Mr Donald Ndirowei, who remanded them to May 16 for trial. Prosecutor Mr Michael Reza told the court that Mr Mahwe would be available on Thursday.
“Your Worship, the magistrate who is seized with the matter is away until Thursday,so the matter will be remanded to Thursday (May 16) for trial,” he said.
However, the quartet’s lawyer Mr Alec Muchadehama said they were not ready for trial since the State had not furnished them with relevant documents.
“Your Worship, if it may be placed on record that there are many other documents that we need from the State to enable us to prepare our defence adequately.
“On Thursday we are going to make an application before the trial magistrate.
“Therefore May 16 cannot be a trial date,” he said.
In response Mr Reza said the State supplied the defence with all the necessary documents. He said the other issues raised by the defence were all triable issues.
Allegations against the four arose on March 17 when detectives received information that they were in possession of dockets they were privately compiling to discredit the judicial system.
It is alleged, in the dockets, they claimed that the police and the AG had failed or refused to investigate cases of corruption involving prominent people in Government.
It is alleged the four had documents of police Commissioner-General Augustine Chihuri’s background and another titled “Case for a full investigation into the Ministry of Lands-System of issuing offer letters 1 September, 2009”.
A team of detectives went to Mpofu’s residence and found some of the documents, including a laptop and a pistol.
The State alleges that the suspects indicated that they were legal advisors to the Prime Minister and researching on alleged corruption and criminal abuse of office and the appointment of Comm-Gen Chihuri.
Investigations also revealed that the accused were being bankrolled by the Institute for a Democratic Alliance for Zimbabwe, the court heard.
Online Reporter