By Farayi Machamire
A Harare magistrate yesterday dismissed former Energy minister Samuel Undenge’s application for refusal of further remand. The court, however, ordered the State to speed up investigations to enable trial to commence.
At the same time, former Tourism minister Walter Mzembi also appeared in court with his trial also failing to kick off. He was further remanded to April 3.
Both former ministers are facing charges of criminal abuse of office.
Yesterday, Mzembi’s legal counsel notified the court that he would be filing an application for refusal of further remand if a trial date is not given on their next court appearance.
As for Undenge, he had lodged his application arguing that the State has taken an inordinately long time before trial.
However, it was Harare magistrate Tilda Mazhandu’s considered view that two months without trial commencing was not a long time for the court to throw out the case.
Mzembi and Undenge are both out on $400 bail. They have been ordered to report every Friday at Borrowdale and Highlands Police Station respectively, not to interfere with witnesses and to reside at their given addresses. DailyNews
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