FORMER Chitungwiza housing director Jemina Gumbo, who was accused of corruptly allocating commercial stands to various people and organisations including Emmanuel Makandiwa’s United Families International Church (UFIC), has been acquitted.
REPORT BY PHILLIP CHIDAVAENZI
Gumbo, who was represented by Admire Rubaya and facing 22 counts of criminal abuse of duty, was on Wednesday cleared of all the allegations by High Court judge Justice Martin Makonese.
The court concurred with Rubaya that the State had failed to prove a prima facie case against his client and described the State case as “a classical failed fishing expedition where the State has failed to even catch a small frog”.
Gumbo had denied the charges, saying it was part of a sinister plot to ruin her.
She denied the charges and argued during trial that she personally signed all lawful documents relating to her office and in her absence, there would be a deputy to act on her behalf.
