PROGRESSIVE Teachers’ Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) national co-ordinator Enock Paradzayi, who is being charged with disorderly conduct, was yesterday further remanded after three State witnesses who are police officers testified against him in court. STAFF REPORTER
Paradzayi was arrested for behaving disorderly when he allegedly tried to stop the acting headmaster of Sijawugwe Secondary School, Panganayi Zimunhu, from signing a warned-and-cautioned statement at the Western Commonage Police Station in Bulawayo in connection with the alleged theft of 13 “O” Level examination papers.
Paradzayi (46) of Northend, Bulawayo, denied the charges when he appeared before Western Commonage magistrate Themba Chemiso.
Yesterday, the magistrate remanded Paradzayi to January 23 after three police officers testified against him.
He is out of custody on $50 bail.
Paradzayi’s lawyer Matshobana Ncube asked the court to allow him some time to study court papers in order to decide whether to call his client’s witness, Vusumuzi Mahlangu, who was present during his arrest or to apply for his discharge due to lack of evidence.
The court heard that on October 18 last year, the PTUZ official arrived at the Western Commonage CID Section and requested to talk to Zimunhu who was arrested over the missing “O”Level examination papers.
He was granted permission to see Zimunhu after he introduced himself as the PTUZ representative.
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After Paradzayi talked to Zimunhu, he allegedly told the investigating officer that he intended to hire a lawyer to handle the case.
The investigating officer advised him to make arrangements so that they could meet at the Western Commonage Court within 30 minutes and he agreed.
The investigating officer allegedly advised Zimunhu to complete signing his warned-and- cautioned statement since he had only signed one copy.
Paradzayi allegedly told Zimunhu not to sign until the lawyer had arrived.
It is the State case that the policeman tried to reprimand him, but Paradzayi insisted in allegedly blocking Zimunhu from signing, leading to his arrest.
