Baba Jukwa probe complete

INVESTIGATIONS into the Baba Jukwa case are complete and the docket for The Sunday Mail editor Edmund Kudzayi and his brother Philip accused of attempting to subvert a constitutionally-elected government has been sent to the Prosecutor General’s office for perusal and preparation of indicts.

The pair yesterday appeared in court before Harare magistrate Tendai Mahwe for their routine remand and prosecutor Sharon Mashavira told the court that the docket was now in the hands of the Prosecutor General.

She said that the matter was referred to the Prosecutor General’s office for perusal and preparation of indicts since the brothers are going to be tried at the High Court.

Mashavira said they were now waiting for the necessary paperwork to be done before furnishing them with their trial date.

The brothers’ lawyer Everson Chatambudza notified the court of his intentions to make an application for refusal of further remand if the state failed to provide them with a trial date on the next remand date.

It is the state’s case that sometime in April 2013, Edmund hatched a plan with Philip to overthrow the government through unconstitutional means.

It is alleged he created a Gmail account, [email protected], using a mobile phone line registered in Philip’s name, but used by Edmund.

The two allegedly formed two separate groups called the Gunda Nleya Brigade and the Zimbabwe Revolutionary Army with the purposes of overthrowing the government.

Edmund allegedly posted articles on the Baba Jukwa Facebook page which encouraged rebellion against government if the July 31 general election “were stolen”.

They also posted articles to the effect that they had a “Dare reChimurenga” in place and that a team was on the ground studying the situation in Zimbabwe.

On May 11 this year, the court heard, The Sunday Mail published a story about the true identity of Baba Jukwa titled ‘Hackers unmask Baba Jukwa’.

Investigations, however, revealed that Edmund was the one in control of the Baba Jukwa Gmail account as his details were on the recovery panel of the said account, and that it was his e-mail address and his brother’s Econet mobile number which he was using.

Investigations revealed that the account was never hacked into, the court heard.

It is the state’s case that Edmund allegedly undermined the authority of the President in an article he wrote on August 7, 2008.

The Zimbabwe Mail, an Online publication, allegedly published the article with knowledge that the information was false. The Herald