Zimbabwe chief magistrate suspended

Zimbabwe’s chief magistrate, Mishrod Guvamombe, was today suspended for allegedly offering work-related attachment to two former cabinet minister Saviour Kasukuwere and Supa Mandiwanzira who are both facing charges of abuse of office.

The two are law students at the University of Zimbabwe.

Guvamombe was suspended pending investigations into allegations of misconduct.

Kasukuwere is charged with four counts of abuse of office while he was Minister of Local Government while Mandiwanzira faces similar charges for allegedly engaging a South African firm, Megawatt Company, to provide services to NetOne without going to tender.

The head of the Special Anti-Corruption Unit in the Office of the President and Cabinet, Tabani Mpofu, last month said that the engagement of the two former cabinet ministers was untenable.

“We are very concerned that two accused persons who are appearing at the Harare Magistrates’ Court facing corruption charges have been accepted and allowed to do their attachment for their law studies at the same courts,” he told the Sunday Mail.

“That inevitably does not inspire confidence in the public with regards to the criminal justice system operating efficiently and transparently, where these two accused persons are concerned: these are Supa Mandiwanzira and Saviour Kasukuwere.

“This runs the risk of undermining public confidence in our criminal justice system and our sincerity in the fight against corruption.

“They are working in the very same corridors where we have our records. For example, Supa Mandiwanzira was in the corridors a day before he was to appear in court.”

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