HARARE- Prosecutors suffered a setback on Thursday when a key witness in the trial of former President Robert Mugabe’s son-in-law Simba Chikore refused to testify.
Philipa Magnify Philips, a Harare lawyer, wrote to prosecutors to advise them that the former Air Zimbabwe chief operations officer was her client and she was constrained by a lawyer-client relationship.
Magistrate Victoria Mashamba postponed the case to March 8.
Philips was key to the prosecution case as the first person to be called by Bertha Tsitsi Zakeyo, who alleges she was illegally detained by Chikore and security guard Simbarashe Mutimbe after she refused to sign papers dismissing her as Zimbabwe Airways’ company secretary.
Giving her testimony, Zakeyo said Philips was her friend and also a director for the company which owns Zimbabwe Airways. Chikore was COO at Air Zimbabwe while also leading the establishment of Zimbabwe Airways, a state-owned enterprise that was being disguised as a private company.
Zakeyo said when she realised she was in danger she called Philips who came to the Zimbabwe Airways offices and witnessed the commotion while at the gate after she was refused entry by a security guard.
The court heard Philips also helped Zakeyo to press charges against Chikore.
Magistrate Mashamba warned the prosecution that it risks losing its case by releasing key witnesses. She said any witness who fails to come to court in future should be arrested.
It also emerged that Zakeyo is interfering with witnesses who are yet to give evidence against Chikore.
Chikore is accused of unlawfully detaining Zakeyo at their workplace back in June last year. He had sacked her on allegations of leaking company secrets.
Prosecutors say when Zakeyo refused to sign some papers acknowledging her exit from the company, Chikore and Mutimbe prevented her from leaving.
Chikore denies the allegations. His defence says Zakeyo stayed longer at the premises because she refused to hand over company gadgets.
Chikore said Zakeyo became violent after he fired her.
It is his defence that she was uncontrollable to an extent that he had to call police to drive her out.
Chikore, who is married to Mugabe’s first-born daughter Bona, is represented by Jonathan Samkange.
