| The best Zimbabwe news site on the world wide web |  |
| NEWS |
| FORUMS |
| NEWS ANALYSIS |
| READERS' FORUM |
By
Staff
Reporter
HARARE businessman
and legislator Phillip Chiyangwa, reportedly in the hands of state security
agents for undisclosed crimes, was expected to appear in court on Tuesday
– dispelling rumours in the capital that he could have died.
The privately-owned Daily Mirror newspaper, quoting "highly placed sources", splashed with the headline "Chiyangwa Alive" on Tuesday following widespread rumours that the Zanu PF Mashonaland West chairman had either died, suffered a mild stroke or was probably insane as a result of torture.
Chiyangwa's last public appearance was on December 15 when he presented a budget review report in Parliament.
The gaudy MP, also chairman of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Budget and International Trade, left Parliament before the august House adjourned, and "disappeared" into thin air.
The respected weekly Zimbabwe Independent newspaper says Chiyangwa is facing espionage charges relating to spying for foreign governments -- thought to be Britain and the United States.
Ever since his disappearance, his family and lawyer Llyod Mhishi were either unprepared or uninformed about his whereabouts, sending tongues wagging that the showy businessman could indeed be in the hands of the State for a very serious crime.
Speculation has been rife that Chiyangwa played a tacit role in the unsanctioned Tsholotsho meeting but later performed a double summersault in the eleventh hour, after realising the game plan and the environment had changed.
The indaba, reportedly convened by Information Minister Jonathan Moyo alongside Zanu PF Midlands chairman July Moyo, was meant to change the party’s presidium which could have seen Parliamentary Speaker Emmerson Mnangagwa, Thenjiwe Lesabe and Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa assuming the presidency, while Moyo would have taken over as the party’s secretary for administration.
If Chiyangwa appears in court as sources claim, this will quell rumours of death or insanity, which have been making the rounds in the capital over the past few days.
Although the police and his relatives have vehemently denied that Chiyangwa was arrested, speculation over his whereabouts was fuelled by a recent interview in which his lawyer was quoted as saying his client “was in control of the situation”, without elaborating on the circumstances surrounding his client’s whereabouts.
His scheduled court appearance comes in the wake of last Friday’s appearance of four other men who went missing about the same time – namely banker Tendai Matambanadzo, Zanu PF deputy security chief Kenny Karidza, Zimbabwe’s ambassador to Mozambique Godfrey Dzvairo, and Itai Marchi.
The four were reportedly remanded in custody to tomorrow in proceedings the Press and the suspects’ relatives were barred.
Asked about Chiyangwa’s possible court appearance on Tuesday, police spokesperson Oliver Mandipaka expressed ignorance on the matter.
“I do not know anything. Did you go to his home and see that he is truly not there?” asked Mandipaka. Mandipaka also professed ignorance on the court appearance of the other four men, alleging that he was unaware of their arrest.
Harare lawyer Selby
Hwacha, representing Dzvairo and Matambanadzo, told The Daily Mirror
last week that no one had informed them that his clients had been arrested
and what the charge was. He said he was surprised that they had appeared
in court without legal representation – a legitimate expectation.
Additional reporting Daily Mirror
JOIN THE DEBATE
ON THIS ARTICLE ON THE NEWZIMBABWE.COM FORUMS
newsdesk@newzimbabwe.com
All material copyright newzimbabwe.com
Material may be published or reproduced in any form with appropriate credit to this website