Online Reporter
. . . In Mupinga’s first public appearance, after the tragedy, the last thing we expected was some laughter
Zvikomborero Parafini
WHATEVER the joke, it surely was in BAD TASTE.
We don’t know whether it was cracked by Mike Mupinga, the owner of the killer pit bull who has been arrested after it attacked and killed a man at the weekend in the Bluffhill neighbourhood of Harare.
Or, it was cracked by a police officer who was behind him when he arrived at the Harare Magistrates Courts yesterday.
But, one thing we know is that the police officer, who was closest to him, burst into laughter and it appeared to coincide with the moment Mupinga opened his mouth to say something.
Maybe, he was saying something about missing his four dogs − three pit bulls and a Rotweiller − which have since been put down by the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty Against Animals.
But if this gave an impression that this case was a laughing matter, then it was the wrong impression.
After all, we have a man who is dead, a family which is grieving, a neighbourhood which has been shattered and a nation which is demanding answers.
Mupinga has not yet been convicted and the reality is that he remains innocent until proven guilty to the culpable homicide charge he is facing.
He was not asked to plead when he appeared before magistrate Marewanazvo Gofa charged with culpable homicide.
The State, represented by Rufaro Chonzi, told the court that he will file his written submissions opposing bail.
Magistrate Gofa is expected to hand down the bail ruling on Friday.
Allegations are that Mupinga, being the owner of four vicious dogs − three pitbulls and a Rottweiler − negligently left the vicious dogs at large and unmuzzled in the yard of his rented house.
He went to bed leaving the dogs roaming around his yard, which is secured by a short perimeter wall built of bricks and mortar.
The vicious dogs then scaled over the short perimeter wall and met the now deceased Machara, who was walking along the nearby street.
The dogs then bit the now deceased all over the body.
Machara sustained some deep wounds on the neck and lacerations wounds on hands, legs and the stomach and passed away instantly.
It also emerged in court yesterday that Mupinga is a fugitive of justice, who has pending rape and theft cases.
One of the reasons why the State opposed bail was that Mupinga was issued with a warrant of arrest on May 5 after he failed to turn up for trial commencement in the rape case.
Harare regional magistrate, Sandra Mupindu, issued the warrant of arrest and the police were making efforts to arrest him before he was nabbed on Sunday for culpable homicide.
He appeared before magistrate Mupindu, who remanded him in custody to today for the default inquiry.
Circumstances in the theft of a motor vehicle case are that Mupinga went to the complainant’s office at Century Mall in August last year, with the intention of hiring a car.
They agreed that Mupinga would hire a Honda Fit for a rental fee of US$40 per day.
Mupinga allegedly signed a contract and was handed the vehicle.
On September 7, Mupinga allegedly approached the complainant with a proposal to partner in a car rental business saying he needed someone with small cars to complement his fleet of top-of-the-range cars.
The two verbally agreed to venture in this business together.
The complainant allegedly offered two unregistered vehicles − a Honda Fit GPS with chassis number GPS-32 and a Honda Fit GP5 with chassis number GP5-10208.
Mupinga allegedly advised the complainant that the unregistered vehicles couldn’t be hired and offered to register them.
He requested for the papers and took the cars claiming that he needed to clear them with the Vehicle Theft Squad.
The complainant released the customs clearance certificates for both vehicles, which were in his name.
However, when the complainant followed up on their deal, Mupinga started giving him conflicting information.
He first claimed that the registration system was down and then said they were checking with ZIMRA if duty was paid properly.
Upon inquiry with the VTS, the complainant was told that Mupinga had registered the cars in his name and had sold all three vehicles, including the one he had hired initially.
The total value of the vehicles is US$26,000.
Londile Moyo