FOUR MDC-T officials accused of compiling illegal dockets against government officials appeared at the High Court on Thursday, through their lawyer, seeking to have their passports released pending the hearing of their matter which was referred to the Constitutional Court (ConCourt).
CHARLES LAITON
Thabani Mpofu, Felix Matsinde and Mehluli Tshuma — all former public prosecutors — and Warship Dumba — a former Harare city councillor — were arrested and charged with impersonating police, possessing articles for criminal use and breaching the Official Secrets Act.
The quartet, through their lawyers Alec Muchadehama and Chris Mhike, raised constitutional issues at the Magistrates’ Court arguing that they had not committed any criminal offence hence they wanted the matter be resolved at the ConCourt.
Muchadehama told NewsDay that it would take a long time for the matter to be resolved at the ConCourt hence it was important for his clients to be accorded freedom of movement.
“It is not possible for a trial date to be set at the Magistrates’ Court because there is a pending constitutional application which is yet to be set down for hearing,” Muchadehama said.
“My clients have not breached any bail condition [and], as such, we want to apply for the release of their passports to enable them to exercise freedom of movement.”
However, High Court judge Justice Garainesu Mawadze postponed the matter to May 27 after it turned out that the Prosecutor-General’s Office had not assigned the matter to an officer who ought to have filed a response to the application.
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The four officials are alleged to have been found with dockets linked to investigations of top government officials who include Prosecutor-General Johannes Tomana, Jane Mutasa, Beauty Basile, Charles Muchemwa Nherera, former deputy minister Bright Matonga, Local Government minister Ignatius Chombo, Deputy Prosecutor-General Florence Ziyambi, prosecutor Michael Mugabe and area prosecutor Jonathan Murombedzi.
