By Mary Taruvinga
A Harare Magistrate was Monday forced to postpone the case in which former permanent secretary in the Mines ministry Francis Gudyanga is accused of defrauding the State of more than RTGS$1.6 million after the docket could not be located.
Gudyanga is also former Marketing Corporation of Zimbabwe (MMCZ) board member from which he reportedly helped himself to allowances for non-existent meetings.
The former top civil servant intended to apply for his case to be heard in camera claiming he has “explosive information to reveal” which he says can’t be given in an open court for security reasons.
The state alleges that he caused MMCZ to pay $1 629 500 to Glammer (Pvt) Ltd, a foreign company through a local agricultural company, Pedstock.
Pedstock is a subsidiary of Nikuv International Projects Limited, a company that made headlines for allegedly electronically manipulating the 2013 elections in favour of former President Robert Mugabe.
His case is being heard in a special anti-corruption court set up by President Emmerson Mnangagwa in 2017 but one year after his arrest, Gudyanga has not been told of who is dealing with his case.
“I have no clue which prosecutor is handling the matter. I have been making follow ups all morning but to no avail.
“I adequately consulted the district public prosecutor and the senior regional prosecutor. No one is aware of where the docket is,” said his lawyer Norman Mugiya.
The presiding magistrate Hosea Mujaya postponed the matter saying it is surprising that National prosecuting Authority (NPA) and Zacc do not know about the progress on their cases.
“This is not the first time we had to go through this especially with Zacc matters. Why is there no communication?
“The accused persons would have been arrested placed on remand but somehow prosecutors do not know about the progress on their cases. You have to be more organised as this causes more inconveniences,” said the magistrate.
Considering the present circumstances, Mujaya advised the two State witnesses that they will be summoned once the case record is recovered.
Meanwhile, former Information Communication Technology former minister, Supa Mandiwanzira’s case was postponed to a later date pending a determination on his High Court application.
Mandiwanzira is accused of unlawfully appointing his personal assistant to Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe Potraz.
