Mutasa halts Zanu PF editor's trial

Mutasa halts Zanu PF editor's trial

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By Lebo Nkatazo

ZIMBABWE'S National Security Minister Didymus Mutasa on Thursday dramatically halted the trial of the editor of Zanu PF's mouthpiece, The Voice.

Lovemore Mataire was facing charges of stealing $6 million from his employers, Jongwe Printers, by ordering the newspaper's street vendors to deposit money from sales into his personal bank account.

But in a dramatic development, Mutasa, who is Zanu PF's secretary for administration, intervened and withdrew all charges before plea.

He gave no reason for withdrawing the charges, and would not say if the charges had been proved to be false or not.

Mutasa filed a withdrawal affidavit, read out Thursday, stating: “I Cde D N E Mutasa do hereby solemnly and sincerely swear/declare the following: in my capacity as the Secretary for Administration for Zanu (PF) Party and one of my responsibilities is to supervise and co-ordinate the efficient administration of the party…which was represented by Cde Nathan Shamuyarira as a complainant in a case involving Cde Lovemore Mataire of theft by conversion have decided to withdraw all charges against him unconditionally with immediate effect and all current court processes should thus fall away.”

Shamuyarira is chairman of Jongwe Printers, publishers of The Voice. He is also the secretary of information and publicity for Zanu PF.

Magistrate Rebecca Takavadiyi withdrew all charges and let the former Herald reporter free.

The case against Mataire was that between August 21 and October 12 last year, he instructed the paper's vendors to deposit proceeds from newspaper sales into his personal CABS account instead of The Voice’s account held with Zimbank.

Prosecutors were alleging that Mataire would subsequently withdraw the money and convert it to his personal use, prejudicing The Voice of $6 110 000. The money was not recovered.

Shamuyarira, in an affidavit attached to court papers, had stated: "Mataire had no right whatsoever to convert company funds to personal use."
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