Zanu PF governor apologises over killer son

Zanu PF Midlands Governor Jason Machaya says he accepts the High Court ruling in which his son Farai and his three accomplices were convicted and jailed for murdering an MDC-T activist Moses Chokuda in Gokwe in 2009.

Governor Machaya said he had faith in the country’s judiciary and those who break the law should be punished accordingly. “I accept the verdict that came out of the courts. I do not condone any act of violence, worse still that destroys life.

“It’s natural that punishment must be given to those that acted outside the law of the country, including my son, Farai,” said Governor Machaya. He said he was sorry for the incident that claimed Moses Chokuda’s life.

Governor Machaya said his family would soon engage the Chokuda family with a view to compensating them in line with the dictates of African culture.

“I sincerely extend my apology to the bereaved family. Now that the courts have done their part, we will meet as the Machaya family and engage the Chokuda family with a view to compensating them in line with our own culture that seeks to harmonise relations among families whenever such tragic events happen. I hope this will put to rest the unnecessary agony,” he said.

Governor Machaya, who is also Zanu-PF provincial chairperson for the Midlands, said it was unfortunate that some political parties and certain sections of the media decided to gain mileage by politicising the death of Moses Chokuda.

“I am happy that the court has completely revealed that the matter was not politically motivated as was alleged by many media houses and some political parties.

“Let me take this opportunity to advise citizens not to take the law into their own hands. They should always use the official structures of Government to seek redress as it is these structures that are mandated to deal with different issues that arise in our social lives,” he said.

Farai (29) and his accomplices, Abel Maposa (52) Edmore Gana (29) and his younger brother Bothwell (26) and two other accomplices, Obert Gavi and Tirivashoma Mawadze (both aged 25) fatally assaulted Moses Chokuda in 2009. Justice Nicholas Mathonsi, sitting with assessors Messrs Jameson Lex Dhlula and Wellington Takawira Matemba, found Farai Machaya, Maposa, Edmore and Bothwell Gana guilty of murder with constructive intent and sentenced them to 18 years in prison each.

The fifth and sixth persons, soldiers Gavi and Mawadze were found guilty of a lesser offence of assault and were sentenced to 12 months in prison, wholly suspended.

This year in February Nehanda Radio.com reported how Chokuda’s body still lay in the metal police coffin in which it was brought to the mortuary over 2 years after his death. His father Tawengwa Chokuda said his son was “fighting his own war” and “refusing to be buried” amid mysterious circumstances.

Chokuda said although it was almost two years since his death, his son’s corpse still appeared fresh. He said he wanted 15 cattle as compensation before he could bury his son.

“The way he was killed was ruthless. He was beaten to death, tied with ropes and dragged like an animal. I think he is now fighting his own war,” he said. Chokuda said police had tried to bury his son by force after he had refused to participate in the process but they failed to move the coffin out of the mortuary.

Police spokesperson Wayne Bvudzijena said the police were aware of the case but it was not their responsibility to bury people. Chokuda said he was told by mortuary attendants at the hospital that sometimes they saw his son sitting on top of his metal coffin.

 “The coffin did not move out when about 10 police officers tried to lift it out of the mortuary to bury him against my will and without my consent,” Chokuda said.

“My son is seen alive by those who are linked to his death,” he said.“I hear he (the dead man) is herding cattle belonging to one of the suspects at a farm,” said Chokuda.

“Don’t forget you cannot stop an avenging spirit by going to jail or through the courts. Even if you die, the rest of your family that remains behind will suffer from that avenging spirit,” he said.

The late Chokuda’s mother, Gertrude, who is blind, said she was angry and would remain burdened until the day her son “comes home to rest”. “I am blind and it is painful to have a dead body in my house. It’s very painful. I thought I had found an eye but Zanu PF did this to my son,” he said.