HARARE – The trial of former Local Government Minister Saviour Kasukuwere failed to kick-off a second time in Harare on Thursday.
Kasukuwere faces four counts of criminal abuse of office. Three of the charges relate to land allocations made to Grace Mugabe’s sister Shuvai Gumbochuma while he was Local Government Minister, and a fourth charge arose from alleged procurement violations in granting investment firm, Brainworks, a tender to perform brokerage services to the Ministry of Youth Development, Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment.
Kasukuwere, through his lawyer Advocate Thembinkosi Magwaliba instructed by Charles Chinyama, had requested to be furnished with documents, including minutes of certain meetings, from his time as Local Government Minister.
But prosecutor Zivana Macharaga told Harare magistrate Hosea Mujaya that the paper trail no longer existed.
Against forceful demands by the defence, Macharanga agreed to subpoena the Permanent Secretary in that ministry to “release whatever documents they have”.
The prosecutors and lawyers will meet on November 15 to discuss the results of the subpoena before Kasukuwere returns to court on November 21 when the trial is expected to finally get underway.
