HARARE – Former Information Communication Technology Minister Supa Mandiwanzira had a request for the permanent return of his passport thrown out by a magistrate on Wednesday after prosecutors told the court he wanted to flee.
Mandiwanzira, facing criminal abuse of charges relating to the appointment of his personal assistant to the board of the Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (POTRAZ), applied for the release of his passport held as part of his bail conditions in order to travel to India for medical treatment.
Harare regional magistrate Elijah Makomo said Mandiwanzira had failed to satisfy the court that his trip was important.
“This court’s analysis is that no sufficient reasons were given to establish the importance of the release of the passport. In the circumstances, the application is hereby dismissed,” Makomo ruled.
Prosecutor Michael Chakandida opposed Mandiwanzira’s application, telling the magistrate that the Nyanga South MP was trying to flee the court’s jurisdiction.
The prosecutor said Mandiwanzira had submitted paperwork from his Indian doctors indicating he had appointments in March and April, dates which had already passed.
Mandiwanzira was last month acquitted by Justice Nicholas Mathonsi at the Harare High Court on charges of criminal abuse of office charges relating to a $5 million tender for an audit at NetOne, which prosecutors alleged he pushed through without following tender guidelines.
The judge, however, upheld the charge relating to the appointment of Tawanda Chinembiri, a civil servant at deputy director level, to the POTRAZ board in violation of corporate governance principles and a Cabinet circular.
Mandiwanzira was remanded to June 3.
