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Nyore Madzianike
Senior Court Reporter
Warrants of arrest were issued yesterday for several bailed people before the courts, including former Cabinet minister Prisca Mupfumira, after they failed to appear in court following the resumption of court operations.
Chief Justice Luke Malaba, through the Practice Direction 5 that came on the back of the relaxation of lockdown measures by President Mnangagwa on Monday, said a number of court processes such as the filing and processing of new cases, pleadings papers and court orders, including service and execution by the Sheriff and the Messenger of Court, can now proceed in terms of the applicable court rules, legislation or court orders.
Yesterday, the magistrates’ court started with many accused persons being issued with warrants of arrest including Mupfumira and her co-accused Barnabas Matongera, who was National Social Security Authority (NSSA) former contribution and collections officer.
Mupfumira and Matongera were set to stand trial on allegations of paying US$3,5 million to a local land development company towards the construction of low housing units in Gweru without the NSSA board’s approval and without following tender processes.
The money was allegedly paid to Drawcard Enterprises out of the US$6,5 million that NSSA had committed towards construction of 1 000 low cost houses in Gweru city.
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