Mugabe ally charged with perjury, 18 cars recovered

Mugabe ally charged with perjury, 18 cars recovered

CHIYANGWA

• Chiyangwa arrested

• Msika warns Chiyangwa

• Chiyangwa threatens cop in court

• Chiyangwa implicated in ENG scandal

• ENG directors charged with fraud

• Banks face collapse

• End of era for forex dealers

• Gono new RBZ governor

• Tea boy to national purse

By Staff Reporter
14/01/04
ZIMBABWE police investigating the country’s biggest financial scandal ever have recovered a staggering 18 luxury cars from properties of businessman and legislator Phillip Chiyangwa as it emerged that he was being charged with perjury for lying in court.

The flamboyant MP and advocate for black empowerment was arrested last Saturday and was still in police custody Wednesday morning after being implicated in a fraud case involving the theft of US$66 million investor funds from an asset management firm.

Before the court brought the latest charge of perjury, Chiyangwa was already charged with threatening a police officer and attempting to pervert the course of justice by hiding evidence. He was initially set to be released on Sunday following a court order, but the police swiftly moved in and inserted the latest charge.

Watched by his friends and fellow MP Saviour Kasukuwere in the public gallery, a disfigured Chiyangwa, clad in prison garb was brought to court Tuesday afternoon where his defence lawyers pleaded with a magistrate for his release. But state prosecutors said they were strongly opposed to any bail. A ruling was due to be made later on Wednesday.

Chiyangwa first made a theatrical court appearance on Wednesday last week where he threatened to “deal” with an investigating officer, called the prosecutor a “young man” and ordered him to “stop asking irrelevant questions”. He further claimed to be able to pay back all the missing billions.

He had been summoned to court to explain his dealings with the collapsed ENG Capital Asset Management firm, whose two directors are accused of plundering over US$66 of investor funds and diverting over 20 luxury cars to their own use.

A whistle blower who brought the scandal to light told the court that Chiyangwa was a 40 percent shareholder in the firm. But he insisted that his only interest in the matter was to help the ENG directors in his capacity as a “black empowerment guru”. He further stated that he only had TWO cars from ENG.

It is now clear the court doesn’t believe Chiyangwa’s explanation which has resulted in him being charged with perjury. Prosecutor Stephen Musona shot down suggestions by defence lawyer, Advocate Happias Zhou that Chiyangwa was being sacrificed by senior Zanu PF officials trying to sideline him in the succession dogfight to replace President Mugabe.

”Mr Chiyangwa should have known that by lying to the court, he would be arrested,” said Musona. “The State has reasonable conviction that if released, the accused will interfere with police investigations. This has been shown by continuing with this offence of defeating or obstructing the course of justice.”

When the magistrate sought the opinion of the prosecutor on how long he thought Chiyangwa should be held, Musona said: “Until the police have finished their investigations, and that would take up to a month.”
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