Judgment in the matter involving resigned Chief Superintendent Joseph Chani in the dock for allegedly murdering a suspected diamond panner in Chiadzwa last year will be handed down tomorrow.
Chani, once commanded Mutare Urban District where he allegedly killed Tsorosai Kusena while in Chiadzwa last September, on an operation code-named Hakudzokwi Phase 15.
In court yesterday, a defence witness, Assistant Commissioner Cornelius Muzeza, testified that he was the man in charge of the operation and when Kusena died in police cells, he suspected it was murder and called for a full investigation into the matter.
Muzeza, however, refused to comment on allegations raised by Chani that there was a conspiracy against him within the police force after he stopped the diamond looting racket involving security personnel manning the diamond fields.
In presenting its final submissions, the State led by Jane-Rose Matsikidze, urged the court to convict Chani of murder with constructive intent.
Matsikidze submitted that according to the evidence produced in court, it was possible that Chani did not have the intention to kill Kusena, but should have seen it coming in view of the manner he assaulted the deceased and complainants.
She dismissed the conspiracy theory saying all the civilians who testified in court had no business in police affairs and they had no reason to lie to the court.
She further submitted that the conspiracy theory, which the defence pursued to the end, was a ploy to escape the matter. In his own submission, Chani, through his lawyer Takesure Thondhlanga, said his client should be acquitted or convicted of a lesser charge of culpable homicide.
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Thondhlanga said there were many discrepancies among the State witnesses and that alone should advise the court that the witnesses were not telling the truth.
High Court judge Justice Hlekani Mwayera presided.
