A HARARE court yesterday cleared Zanu PF Harare province youth chairperson Godwin Gomwe of extortion charges involving $46 0000 from several housing co-operatives using former First Lady Grace Mugabe’s name.
BY DESMOND CHINGARANDE
Gomwe, who was represented by Rungano Mahuni and Nomsa Sabarauta, was acquitted together with Josephine Hadziindi and Norah Toranga.
But five other alleged accomplices — Muchineripi Mupindu, Fidelis Ndaradza, Haruwandi Munyawiri, Humphrey Madenyika and Moses Handiseni — were found guilty of the offence, which took three years to complete.
The five were ordered to pay fines of between $300 and $700 and ordered to restitute the complainants by the end of June.
In discharging Gomwe, magistrate Tendai Mahwe ruled that all the witnesses failed to link the Zanu PF Budiriro constituency candidate to the offence.
Mahwe said although one of the witness told the court that Gomwe received $10 000 from one Kuda, the State failed to bring that Kuda to court to give his evidence over the matter.
The magistrate also found Toronga and Hadziindi not guilty after the witnesses only linked them to assault allegations.
