Online Reporter
Danisa Masuku, [email protected]
FORMER Bulawayo Provincial Magistrate, Mrs Evia Matura, walked free on Friday, describing her acquittal as a ‘Christmas Day’ present after the High Court in Bulawayo quashed her conviction for alleged criminal abuse of office.
Mrs Matura, who was accompanied by her husband Mr Albert Matura, looked unsettled and listened attentively as
Bulawayo High Court Judge Justice Bongani Ndlovu, sitting with Justice Christopher Dube-Banda, delivered the ruling.
She was accused of remanding out of custody former Citizens Coalition for Change legislator for Nketa constituency,
Obert Manduna. Justice Ndlovu said: “Mrs Matura pronounced that Manduna, who was the accused, was remanded in custody and even recorded that. It was an open court and she pronounced that Manduna had been remanded in custody. “However, the error arose when a prison officer recorded that Manduna was remanded out of custody.
Manduna was shocked when he was told that he had been remanded out of custody while he had heard clearly in open court that he was remanded in custody, and he called his lawyer who then raised the alarm with the court.”
Justice Ndlovu further said Mrs Matura had no relationship with Manduna, which could have influenced her.
“The State failed to prove that Mrs Matura showed any favour for Manduna in court. Therefore, the conviction is
quashed and she is acquitted,” ruled Justice Ndlovu.
Mrs Matura expressed joy at the decision, stating that she had spent 30 days at Mlondolozi Prison housed at Khami
Prison Complex and that the sentence had done a lot of harm to her.
“Today it’s Christmas Day for me, that’s how I can describe this day. I was sentenced to effectively serve 18 months imprisonment and I only served 30 days in jail before my lawyers applied for bail pending appeal,” she said.
“I had to spend time with some of the inmates that I had convicted, and when I explained my issue to them they felt pity and comforted me.”
Soon after she was arrested by Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) officials, she resigned from her job after serving as a magistrate for almost two decades.
“I had to resign because the case weighed heavily on me. I had spent 19 years as a magistrate and this is the job I love. I have no hard-feelings against anyone, I understand it was an error and due process had to take place,” she said.
“I respect the rule of law. Since I have been cleared, I will bounce back to do the job I love.” Mrs Matura said she was happy to be rejoining her family as a free person.
Her husband said: “I’m really happy because my life was incomplete without her. Looking after our children alone was not easy. I feel justice has prevailed. I want to thank Almighty God for intervening.”
Mrs Matura was represented by her lawyers Mr Goodluck Katenaire and Advocate Tazorora Musarurwa.
Chief public prosecutor Mr Kudakwashe Jaravaza told the court that
Mrs Matura, who was stationed at the Bulawayo Magistrates’ Court, had been found guilty of unlawfully ordering the release of a remand prisoner in violation of established legal procedures.
The State represented by a chief public prosecutor Mr Kudakwashe Jaravaza had alleged that in June 2025, Matura presided over a bail application by Manduna, which she dismissed, ordering that he remained in custody at Khami Remand Prison.
The court heard that both the State and defence had only agreed to a postponement for trial allocation date.
However, during a routine remand appearance on July 2 ,2025, Matura unilaterally ordered Manduna’s release despite there being no fresh bail application, no changed circumstances, and no directive from the High Court authorising such a decision.
