Rushwaya’s trial postponed

principal.
She is appearing before regional magistrate Mrs Esthere Chivasa.
The former football administrator engaged the services of Mr Charles Chinyama of Chinyama and Associates after her defence team led by Mr Jonathan Samukange ditched her on Tuesday. Mr Samukange and his team abandoned Rushwaya in protest after the court threw out an application for stay of prosecution.
However, Mr Dumisani Mthombeni, who was part of the defence team, denied dumping Rushwaya. Yesterday he came seeking to defer the trial.
Ms Chivasa again rejected the application. Mr Mthombeni said he could not proceed with the case and wanted to consult his boss, Mr Samukange.
He had sought the postponement, arguing that lead counsel (Mr Samukange) was not available as he had four matters at the High Court.
Mr Mthombeni said the State had also given indications that their application challenging the magistrate’s decision to throw out their application for exception to the charges had prospects for success.
Prosecutor Mr Oliver Marwa opposed the application, arguing that the matter had been postponed on several occasions.
He said the defence had been given ample time to prepare for the trial.
He said it was disturbing that when the State was expecting a new defence team, the old one re-surfaced making the same application.
In her ruling, Mrs Chivasa castigated the conduct of the defence, saying their behaviour of continuously making the same applications was contemptuous.
She even quizzed the lawyers why they were afraid of proceeding with the trial. After the court stood its ground to continue with the case, Rushwaya promptly engaged the services of Mr Chinyama.
Mr Chinyama successfully applied for a postponement on the basis that he needed time to get instructions and prepare a defence outline.
The charges against the former Zifa boss emanate from soccer matches the senior national soccer team played in Asia.
She is alleged to have arranged trips for the national soccer team to Malaysia, Vietnam, Singapore, Oman, Jordan, Bulgaria, China, Thailand and Yemen between 2007 and 2010 without permission from her superiors.
She is pleading not guilty to all nine counts of corruptly concealing a transaction from a principal.