SUSPENDED Zanu PF Manicaland vice- chairperson Dorothy Mabika yesterday applied for discharge at the close of State case in both matters in which she is accused of stealing six donated calves as well as obstructing the course of justice.
REPORT BY STAFF REPORTER
The State closed its case following the testimony of Superintendent Edward Marodza, who told the court that police received a tip-off about the stolen calves during the investigation of a matter of stolen money donated by diamond mining firms. In her application for discharge, Mabika, through, her lawyer Tinofara Hove, said there was no prima facie case against her. She said the matter was purely political persecution to prevent her from contesting the forthcoming elections.
The State is yet to file its opposing arguments against the application.
Magistrate Sekesai Chiundura will hand down the ruling on June 17. Charges against Mabika are that on September 7, 2012 at her Shiriyakangwara Farm in Chipinge, she received six calves from David Herculus Joubert and converted them to her own use. The six bulls were meant for the Zanu PF inter-district conference.
On the second count, Mabika is accused of defeating or obstructing the course of justice where she is alleged to have altered minutes of a meeting to conceal a crime of stocktheft.
“It is the motive for the prosecution of the accused that should be ventilated. This motive clearly emerges from the star witness (Zanu PF administration secretary) Didymus Mutasa and that motive is clear,” added Hove in the application.
“It is to ensure that the accused is removed from leadership of Manicaland province and also to ensure that she does not stand in the forthcoming parliamentary elections. The motive is to embarrass the accused politically and tarnish her name.”
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During Mutasa’s testimony, Mabika stunned the court when she accused Mutasa of targeting her because she had turned down his sexual demands. Christine Nyamaropa prosecuted.
