BY SIMBARASHE SITHOLE
Guruve resident magistrate Shingirai Mutiro last week issued an arrest warrant for Mazowe Rural District ward 27 councillor Collin Sarakunze (35) for defying a chief’s order on deforestation.
Sarakunze, of plot number 57 Chipanza Farm, Mvurwi, absconded court to answer to the charge levelled against him by Chief Makope, born Jacob Mapirinjanja, leaving the magistrate with no option, but to issue the warrant of arrest.
Prosecutor Carison Kundiona alleged that on December 12 last year, two security details from Chief Makope’s traditional court, who are also members of the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) constabulary unit, found Tinashe Bonga and Michael Magwede cutting down trees and loading them onto their truck.
The police arrested the two and when they were about to take them to the police station, the accused persons phoned their ward councillor Sarakunze, who demanded their immediate release.
Fearing victimisation, the police released Bonga and Magwede before informing Chief Makope of the incident.
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Chief Makope subsequently filed a police report, leading to the councillor’s arrest.