TWO lawyers representing Zanu PF’s former Mashonaland West provincial chairman Temba Mliswa were yesterday fined $50 each for contempt of court after arriving late at the Chinhoyi Magistrates’ Courts to make a bail application for their client who is facing a firearms theft charge.
BY NUNURAI JENA
Mliswa, who is Hurungwe West MP (Zanu PF), was arrested at his Karoi farm last Saturday for alleged theft of eight firearms which included six rifles and two shotguns from a white former commercial farmer, Walter Hall Myles.
His lawyers Musindo Dunira Hungwe and Charles Chinyama were supposed to attend the court session in the morning for their client’s bail hearing but arrived in the afternoon, incurring the wrath of provincial magistrate Ignatius Mugova who slapped them with a fine of $50 each or five days in prison.
The lawyers opted to pay the fine.
The State alleges that Mliswa stole the firearms at the height of the land reform programme in 2002.
On Mliswa’s bail application, State counsel Herald Matura said the MP was not a suitable candidate for bail as he could interfere with the witness — a Mashiri who happens to be Mliswa’s employee.
The State also submitted that investigations were still underway to establish the whereabouts of two of the eight firearms that Mliswa allegedly stole. But Mliswa’s lawyers argued that Mliswa was allowed bail by the same court in a previous case and that his residential address was known by the State.
- Chamisa under fire over US$120K donation
- Mavhunga puts DeMbare into Chibuku quarterfinals
- Pension funds bet on Cabora Bassa oilfields
- Councils defy govt fire tender directive
Keep Reading
Mugova then said he would make a bail ruling tomorrow.
