adminof the national team players of visiting Rushwaya’s offices for purposes of match-fixing.
It is alleged he supplied false information to the media alleging that matches against Zimbabwe and two teams, Guinea and Mozambique might have been ‘fixed’ as Knowledge Musona and Ovidy Karuru had been seen coming out of Rushwaya’s business premises.
Harare magistrate Ms Gamuchirai Siwardi deferred the case at the request of Mashingaidze who indicated that his lawyer Advocate Lewis Uriri was not available.
Mashingaidze is being charged with criminal defamation. Mr Public Mpofu from the Attorney General’s Office alleged that on June 12 last year Karuru and Musona were in national team camp at Pandhari Lodge in preparation for a match against Burundi.
Karuru, who wanted to venture into mining, had arranged with Thomas Sweswe to meet at number 320 Herbert Chitepo where he was to be shown gold detectors and quotations for the detectors, the court heard.
Knowing that Rushwaya worked at the same premises, it is alleged Karuru phoned her informing her that they were at her offices and they were told to wait for her.
It is alleged Sweswe and Zhaimu Jambo met Karuru and Musona and waited for Henrietta. However, she delayed prompting Musona and Karuru to leave as they were getting late for training. It is alleged on their way out they met Rushwaya and owing to time they just greeted each other and left.
It is the State’s case that when the two were going back to camp, they were stopped by Mashingaidze who was driving in Dr Munyonga’s vehicle and asked them what they were doing at Rushwaya’s offices.
Karuru, the court heard, told him that he had gone to meet Sweswe to be shown gold detectors and quotations.
It is alleged that after the encounter, Mashingaidze went on to give interviews to the media including ZBC, NewsDay and The Herald alleging that the games between Zimbabwe and Guinea, and Mozambique might have been fixed as Musona and Karuru had been seen coming out of Rushwaya’s offices.
The State alleges that the information was widely publicised and circulated on the internet and social networks and that the utterances were meant to destroy Rushwaya in the eyes of the public and that she cannot be trusted to be involved in any sporting discipline or any business transaction.
According to the State the utterances by Mashingaidze were grossly malicious, false, insulting and defamatory to Rushwaya.
Online Reporter