Warrant of Arrest for Diesel N’anga

A Chinhoyi magistrate has issued a warrant of arrest against “diesel n’anga” Rotina Mavhunga who duped Mugabe’s entire cabinet into believing there was diesel oozing out of a rock in Chinhoyi. On Monday she defaulted on her scheduled appearance in court for judgment in her protracted case of ‘defrauding’ the State.

Magistrate Ignatius Mugova granted the warrant after prosecutor Herikiya Maromo indicated that neither Mavhunga nor her lawyer Chandavengegwa Chopomba of Mushonga and Associates had appeared in court. Mavhunga is reportedly unwell in Guruve where she is said to have swollen legs. This is the third time that she has failed to attend court after she was said to be at a cholera camp in her Guruve home area.

The State has closed its case and now awaits Mugova to deliver judgment. Chopomba confirmed that Mavhunga was not well, saying the court proceeded to issue a warrant of arrest despite indications to that effect. “I failed to attend court and my client failed because she is not feeling well,” he said. “She has swollen legs and there was no way we could have made it to court considering that she is in Guruve.”

She and her co-accused had been given until 2pm to appear in court before a warrant of arrest was issued. Martin Mazvazvido (38) and Lyton Munodawafa Tauro (48) who are jointly charged with Mavhunga were remanded to July 7 for judgment. The two were arrested in December 2007 after Mavhunga’s arrest two months earlier.

Charges against the trio arose when Mavhunga connived with the two and misrepresented to the Mashonaland West political leadership that, through her supernatural powers, she had discovered diesel oozing out of a rock at Maningwa Hills in Chinhoyi.

Mavhunga’s claims prompted a gullible Cabinet led by Mugabe to appoint a taskforce to ascertain her claims in what turned out to be a hoax that captured the attention of the entire nation.