BULAWAYO – The president of the West Nicholson based, Zimbabwe Miners Federation (ZMF), Trynos Nkomo has appeared before a court on allegations of lying to police detectives that he was into a mining partnership with Vice-President Joice Mujuru.
Detectives from the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Minerals Section reportedly visited Nkomo after receiving information that he was externalising gold.
On being questioned he allegedly told the officers that he was into a mining venture with the second most powerful person in Zimbabwe. Gwanda magistrate, Sheila Nazombe heard that Nkomo also told the detectives that the certificates for the business were with Mujuru in Harare.
The information was verified with the VP’s office but it turned out that there was no business relationship between Nkomo and Mujuru leading to Nkomo’s arrest.
The magistrate remanded Nkomo who is facing charges of criminal insult (impairing the dignity of VP Mujuru) and alternatively charges of deliberately supplying false information to a public authority out of custody to 14 October.
In his defence, Nkomo denied ever saying he was involved in a partnership with Mujuru and accused the police of fabricating the story to damage the VP’s reputation.
“I think the police are interested in making a case out of nothing. Maybe they just want to simply tarnish the relationship between me and the VP or maybe the police intend to tarnish the VP’s image.
“I only said that I did not have the original documents because they are in Harare with the VP’s lawyers. I didn’t know that it was criminal for me to mention that the papers were with the VP’s lawyers,” said Nkomo.
However a state witness, Wonder Pambana a deputy director in VP Mujuru’s office said there was no partnership between his boss and Nkomo.
An affidavit signed by VP Mujuru on 18 September and produced in court read that there was no business relationship existing or which once existed between her and Nkomo. Radio Dialogue
