Augur Investments chairman Ken Sharpe, who had been accused of threatening fellow businessman Douglas Walsh over the phone, yesterday walked out of the Harare Magistrates’ Court a free man after being acquitted by magistrate Tendai Mahwe at the close of the State case.
by PAIDAMOYO MUZULU
In his ruling, Mahwe said Walsh’s report to the police “was malicious and a wild goose chase”.
According to Walsh, Sharpe said: “If you don’t get this stopped, there will be blood on the streets and I have people in high places to fix you.”
But in his ruling, Mahwe said: “During the trial, it became common cause that the complainant (Walsh) had made a police report, but the inference after his examination can be drawn that he has malice against the accused.”
He added: “It would be a wild goose chase to place the accused on his defence as no reasonable court could make a conviction in this case and, therefore, he is found not guilty and acquitted.”
When the trial started on Tuesday, Sharpe pleaded not guilty to threatening Walsh, but admitted to calling and asking him if they could meet and resolve their issues amicably.
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After his acquittal, an elated Sharpe granted NewsDay an interview where he said he felt vindicated and that his faith in the country’s justice system had been renewed.
“I have been acquitted, exonerated and most importantly vindicated and I want to state for the record that justice prevails in Zimbabwe and no one should ever doubt the rule of law,” Sharpe said.
On a different note, Sharpe said his two-day stint at the Magistrates’ Court had opened his eyes to the plight of prisoners who were being detained in squalid conditions in the holding cells at the court.
“I saw the plight of prisoners, the squalor and tough conditions they live under. I had no idea what prisoners were going through, but now I want to make it a mission to see how best I can alleviate some of the difficulties they are facing,” Sharpe said.
“Until you see and experience it (being in custody), you would not understand the plight of prisoners.”
