An Algerian court on Wednesday handed heavy prison sentences to several former allies of ousted president Abdelaziz Bouteflika for corruption, a defence lawyer said.
Jailed Algeria tycoon Ali Haddad was close to ousted president Abdelaziz Bouteflika
Prominent tycoon Ali Haddad was handed an 18-year jail term while former prime ministers Ahmed Ouyahia and Abdelmalek Sellal, already behind bars over other graft cases, were sentenced to 12 years each.
Eight other former ministers were handed sentences of between two and 20 years.
Haddad’s brothers — Omar, Meziane, Sofiane and Mohamed — were condemned to four years in prison, while the court ordered the seizure of family assets.
A lawyer for Haddad, the founder and CEO of construction firm ETRHB and former head of Algeria’s main employers’ organisation, slammed the verdict as “obviously political” and said the businessman would appeal.
“The defendants were members of the old regime. They are paying the price of the defeated,” Khaled Bourayou added.
Bouteflika, who was Algeria’s longest-serving president, was forced to resign in April last year amid enormous street protests against his decision to seek a fifth term in office despite his ill health.
While some have welcomed the trials of figures in his entourage, including his powerful brother Said and two former intelligence chiefs, many fear that they amount to little more than a power struggle between regime “clans”. AFP
Actress Tinopona “Tin-Tin” Katsande has attempted to clear the air over the death of her close friend Rebecca “Becky” Chinyerere
By Trust Khosa
Actress Tinopona “Tin-Tin” Katsande on Tuesday cleared the air over the death of her close friend Rebecca “Becky” Chinyerere, who collapsed at her Avondale apartment saying she treated her well prior to her death.
Actress Tinopona “Tin-Tin” Katsande has attempted to clear the air over the death of her close friend Rebecca “Becky” Chinyerere
The radio personality and gender based violence activist said her friend had serious medical problems and when she came to stay at her apartment, she wanted a peaceful environment where she could refresh and heal.
Tin-Tin said she did her best to save her friend who had suffered neglect and depression at the hands of her relatives.
And as a close friend to Becky, Tin-Tin decided to bring to sleep the matter which has received a lot of attention.
Although she took a week or so to clear her name, the actress reckons she deserves a chance to clear her name after she was left with a battered image following the death of Becky.
Below reads full statement issues by Tin-Tin on the death of her close friend:
It is with pain that I, Tinopona Katsande, write this open presser to clear the air on events surrounding the death my dear friend and confidant, Rebecca Chinyerere (Becky) May the truth I narrate clear my name against all the mudslinging that followed her death.
On the night of Tuesday 23 June 2020 my friend Becky collapsed in my bathroom at my house in Avondale and was pronounced dead on arrival at Kensington 24 Hour Medical Emergency Clinic. She was laid to rest in Guruve on Sunday 28th June. May her dear soul rest in peace.
My friend Becky had serious medical problems and suffered from severe depression at the which very few people knew about.
Only a week before her death she had collapsed while staying at their family home (where she was residing with her brother in Belvedere) and was treated at Parirenyatwa (Group of) Hospital (s).
She had been fighting a drug addiction problem exacerbated by traumatic family relationships and depression.
To my knowledge she had abstained from drug intake for sometime and was on a recovery path.
Becky contacted me and asked if she could visit for a couple of days with her two kids aged 13 and 3, to get some relief from the family stresses.
I went to pick up Becky with the full agreement of her brother. We had so much fun during those two days.
On the 2nd day of her visit Becky was taking a shower in my bathroom upstairs.
I sent the kids (my 4 year old and Becky’s 3 year old) to get some vasiline from her. They found Becky collapsed in the shower and raised an alarm. I then went upstairs to see what was happening, and to my horror what the children were shouting about was indeed true.
I can never forget the events that followed and that just seem like a long nightmare:
I took Becky by taxi to Kensington 24 hour Emergency Centre where the attending doctor pronounced her dead while she was still in the taxi together with Becky’s two children.
We were referred to Parerenyatwa hospital where we waited for 45 minutes in the taxi because Covid 19 protective equipment was still being awaited.
With Becky’s phone having already died the only way to inform her brother was to drive with the corpse and the children to Belvedere. The brother refused to assist, or even to have his wife accompany us back to Pare.
Back at Parerenyatwa we finally got the assistance of the doctor and the police post. It was only then that the police spoke to Becky’s brother who finally came over for the statements to be completed. The body was taken to the funeral parlour.
Contrary to what the media is saying there were no drugs involved at my house or during the time of her stay with me. A search in my home by 10 police officers found none. The autopsy report states that Becky had an enlarged heart approximately six times the Normal size.
I find it disturbing that so many are now coming out of the woodworks, claiming to know and love and raise money for Becky in her death yet were nowhere to be seen when in life she most needed financial assistance, love and non-judgemental care.
I am so very angry and totally disgusted at how the tabloid media rushed to publish falsehoods without verifying the facts just because the name Tinopona Katsande can help them sell papers.
Finally I am appalled at how Becky’s family would try “kundipomera mhosva “I am at total peace with my God and with my friend’s spirit.
I’m at peace that my friend spent her last day on this earth in an environment she felt loved unconditionally, where we laughed, ate, danced and sang with our kids.
I gave my Becky a place she and her two boys could just relax and be happy even if only for that brief moment.
I would like to thank the taxi driver who assisted me throughout this ordeal on the night.
To my family who represented me throughout Becky’s funeral and who have been standing with me from across the globe I am so grateful, yet again you have proved what it really means to be family.
Thank you guys. And to the family that I have made along the way in my life’s journey, my real friends -” handina kana nemashoko ekukutendai”. You my friends are an immeasurable blessing. Indeed God sent me my fighting angels through you. I love you so . It is well
To Becky’s 3 children, you are not alone ever vana vangu. Nyika inga tarura zvakawanda as it always has , but you know I was your mum then , I am your mum now and I will be your mum forever. You know My heart and home are forever open to you
And to you my dear friend Becky I am devastated that you have left me. But even though I am still distraught I have gathered this little strength to be “that voice” you always said you most admired about me. You always said that I was a strong woman who stands for those that can’t stand for themselves. The time to tell that truth had to be now or never.
To the media it is not ethical to write things without verification with all sides of the story and in so doing destroying people’s lives with content that is not representative of all parties. H-Metro
Actress Tinopona “Tin-Tin” Katsande has attempted to clear the air over the death of her close friend Rebecca “Becky” Chinyerere
By Shelly Guni
The taxi driver who was hired by actress Tinopona Katsande to ferry the body of her late friend has spoken out.
Actress Tinopona “Tin-Tin” Katsande has attempted to clear the air over the death of her close friend Rebecca “Becky” Chinyerere
Kudzai Chikango claimed that he was only doing his job since the now deceased Rebecca “Beckey” Chinyerere had just collapsed.
“My job is to ferry people to their desired destination,” Chikango told H-Metro before narrating the ordeal.
“What I know is Tino and Becky were best friends. Sometimes I would drive Tino to Becky’s place and I was also the one who picked them from her place in Belvedere before the fateful day.
“Tino called me around 7pm when I was at home and about to have my supper. She said there was an emergency at her house and the fact that I stay close to her house in Strathaven she called me first.
“When I arrived at her house, we rushed to carry Becky who was lying on the bed. They said she had collapsed and we managed to carry her to the car with the husband.
Asked if they never checked if she was still breathing or not, Chikango said:
“Kutaura shuwa taiti tiri kusaver her life asi zvakazoenda nepamwe hatina kuzombotarisa zvakawanda takangotakura munhu nemurume wake iye Tino,” he said.
Chikango continued:
“So when we had put her in the car. The late Becky’s sons said they wanted to go with their mother so they jumped into the car we couldn’t bock them.
“At first we thought of taking her to hospital but we argued on the services that we could get so we then decided to go to a private hospital.
“When we reached there, Tino went in to call the nurses who then called their doctor.
“The doctor came to where we were parked and he saw the body in the car.
“He then told us that he can’t helps.
“I asked why and he only said, I should close the door that’s is when he said Becky was no more so we should take her to the general hospital were she can be taken to the mortuary.”
Chikango said they took the body to Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals where they were told that they could not be helped since the staff had no protective clothing.
That is when they decided to go to Becky’s place to pick any of her relative and if they have an funeral policy to make arrangements.
“During this time I wanted the body to be removed from my car because honestly I was starting to freak out but I also remembered we had the children in the car as well so we drove to Beck’s place in Belvedere where we were turned at the gate by her brother.
“I was shocked kuti munhu angadaro mwana wamai vake shuwa,” he said.
Chikanga added that after they were turned at the gate they returned to Parirenyatwa where they were attended to.
“This time around the doctor attended to us and they took in the body and they called the police who came. Those police officers are the ones who then called the brother to come that is when he came.
“To tell you the truth my sister. Everything that happened that night in my mind I was thinking that I was saving someone’s life little did I know that we could reach were we are now,” said Chikanga.
Meanwhile, Tino’s family paid their condolences to Becky’s family while Tino was reported to have been scared of meeting the bereaved family for reasons known to herself.
A close family member of the Chinyerere’s said the family told them that they only saw the issue in the press and they were trying to understand what had happened.
“Kwakauya hama dzake 5 dzaiti dzakanga dzawona nyaya munewspaper nepa social media. Vaiti ivo vakazama kubata Tino wacho asi her mobile phone and that of her husband are not getting through.
“Isu semhuri takangovatambirawo tikavatsanangurira zvakaitika vakangobata maoko. Hapana zvimwe zvakata,” said the family member.
The body of the late Chinyerere was laid to rest at her village in Guruve on Sunday. H-Metro
Zimdancehall chanter Van Choga and Seh Calaz have parted ways.
Van Choga and Seh Calaz
Van Choga confirmed the developments but could not say much on the issue.
“It’s still sketchy but I can confirm I am no longer part of Yalanation.
“I can refer you to my management because for now I can’t say anything.
“If there is something new you will be the first person to know,” he said.
Calaz’s publicist King George Damson said there is no bad blood between the two entertainers.
“As far as I know, there is no bad blood between these two chanters.
“As Seh Calaz Music and Yalanation Studios we want to issue a public statement regarding Van Choga to the effect that Van Choga will no longer be working with Seh Calaz Music and Yalanation Studios.
“Van Choga has advised us that he now wants to pursue another direction with different people.
“We hold no reservations with his personal choice and thus accordingly we release him,” he said.
He added:
“We wish him the best in his journey.
“As Seh Calaz Music and Yalanation Studios we are proud of the part we played since we started working with Van Choga around June 2019 to date.
“We have given our all in terms of support for his career to progress.”
King George also said Calaz’s goal is to give upcoming artists a platform to showcase their talent.
“Seh Calaz will continue to give young people an opportunity to showcase their talent.
“He will continue to do so and any young person willing to work with our stable is welcome,” he said.
In another interview, Van Choga’s handler Tai “International” Mazanhi said there was an altercation but they are working on it.
“There was just a minor in-house miscommunication issue which is being rectified, if there is anything we will advise you in due course,” he said.
Calaz also said he has no problem with the talented chanter.
“Inini I took him in as my younger brother ndaishanda naye on a personal level not as Yalanation but as Seh Calaz and I thank God nekutisanganisa he is a talented and hard working young man.
“Akasimudzirawo zita re Yalanation we thank him for the time yataiva tese and I wish him the best in his career, Bholato Bholato,” said Calaz. H-Metro
A 60 -year-old Gweru man has been sentenced to 30 years in prison for raping a woman in her early 30s as well as her daughter on Christmas day last year.
Appearing before Regional Magistrate Mrs Phathekile Msipa facing two counts of rape was Wester Maposa from Plot 52, Summerset Farm in Gweru.
Maposa pleaded not guilty to the charge.
He was convicted and sentenced to 30 years in prison.
He will, however, serve 25 years in jail after Mrs Msipa suspended five years of his sentence on condition of good behavior.
“The State was advocating for life imprisonment for the accused because what he did is inhuman. He raped the mother while her daughter was watching in horror and then raped the daughter.
“The accused is sentenced to 30 years of which five years are suspended on condition of good behavior,” she said.
It was the State’s case that on Christmas Day last year at around 8AM, the complainants, who are mother and daughter whose names have been withheld to protect their identities went to Maposa’s homestead.
The woman had bought amacimbi from the accused person the previous day and wanted to return them as they tasted bad.
Upon arrival, the court heard that they found Maposa at home alone.
He gave them some food to eat and suggested to take them to a certain prophet the following day for some prayers.
The woman and her daughter went back to their homestead and later came back on the same day as they wanted to sleep at the accused person’s homestead before embarking on the journey to the prophet the following morning.
The accused person, the State proved, asked the complainant to prepare some food which she did and they ate together.
He then told them to sleep in his bedroom but they refused, opting to sleep in the kitchen.
Maposa, the court heard insisted that they sleep in the bedroom with him.
The accused invited the woman to sleep with him on his bed, but she refused and slept with her daughter on the floor.
The accused person them woke up and took an iron bar which was under his bed and ordered the two to remove their clothes.
He took a white cloth which was on his bed and used it to rub their breasts and private parts claiming to be removing evil spirits.
He then told the woman that the spirit had tasked him to have sexual intercourse with her and the complainant refused.
The woman tried to run away but she was struck on the head with an iron bar and she fell down and became unconscious.
The accused person raped her as she was unconscious and also raped her daughter.
When the woman regained consciousness, he released them and the two proceeded to the police station and made a report leading to Maposa’s arrest. The Chronicle
Nine senior Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company (ZETDC) managers have been suspended pending investigations over allegations of spearheading illegal power connections.
ZESA Megawatt HQ in Harare
ZETDC southern region manager, Engineer King Dube was reportedly suspended last week together with eight other senior managers pending investigations in the scam that is believed to have bled the parastatal of more than US$2 million.
Other senior managers on suspension include development manager southern region Mr Samuel Saboa, commercial manager southern region Delia Sibanda and chief risk control officer southern region, Mr Casper Nhepera.
Kwekwe district manager Raphael Rupere, district engineer, Martin Kanyepe, Kwekwe sales executive, Edgar Mesopore and depot foreman Josphat Maorera have also been suspended.
Zesa spokesperson, Mr Fullard Gwasira, confirmed the suspension of the top managers but declined to shed more light.
“You know very well that this is not the right time and I am not the right person to be commenting on the matter since it is already a disciplinary matter, which is already before the disciplinary team,” said Mr. Gwasira without elaborating.
Investigations by this reporter, however, indicate that the power utility might have lost about US$2 million in the scam in a space of more than two years.
The alleged syndicate is said to have facilitated illegal connections to mines, individual properties and businesses in and around Kwekwe.
A whistle blower alerted top company officials who then discovered that a Chinese owned company has been connected for more than two years and has reportedly not been paying anything to the power utility.
The company which is operating from about 40 kilometres outside Kwekwe, is not on the ZETDC billing list.
Further investigations established that the company was supposed to be connected by the Northern region.
More mines and other smaller companies and properties were later discovered to have been connected illegally.
A highly placed source within the company who spoke on condition of anonymity confirmed that investigations were underway and auditors were on the ground assisting with investigations. The Chronicle
Former Midlands Provincial Affairs Minister Jason Machaya was yesterday put to his defense on criminal abuse of office charges.
Jason Machaya
Machaya appeared before provincial Magistrate, Ms Charity Maphosa facing allegations of unlawfully allocating and disposing State land. The former minister, who is out on $1000 bail is expected back in court tomorrow for continuation of trial.
Machaya was supposed to have been put to his defense on August 21 last year after Ms Maphosa dismissed his application for discharge at the end of the State case.
The magistrate ruled that he had a case to answer and should be put to his defence but Machaya approached the High Court describing the decision of placing him on his defence as “grossly irregular”.
However, Harare High Court judge Justice Pisirayi Kwenda threw out the application saying it lacked merit.
The judge said the trial at the lower court has to be completed before Machaya can seek a review by a higher court or appeal. The ex-minister was back in court yesterday and was put to his defence. His trial continues tomorrow.
Machaya in his defense is arguing that he acted in delegated authority in his capacity as Midlands Minister of State.
The State’s case is that the accused, intentionally allocated State land totaling 17 799 stands to land developers which was inconsistent with his duties.
Prosecutors say Machaya did not have any lawful responsibility to allocate State land to the said developers and entities, a lawful responsibility of the Minister of Local Government and Public Works.
The accused person, the court heard, further received 1 791 commonage stands from the said land developers and entities which constituted 18 percent of the total stands on the allocated State land.
It is further alleged that Machaya sold 1 185 of the commonage stands which was also inconsistent with his duties as the stands can only be allocated and distributed by the Local Government Minister.
The accused person is also alleged to have also allocated 192 commonage stands to the Apostolic Christian Church of Zimbabwe (ACCZ) when he did not have lawful right to do so. Mr Clemence Chimbari appeared for the State. The Chronicle
Zimbabwe has reopened its national parks to the public and allowed restaurants to serve food within their premises, some relief for the country’s hospitality sector struggling from restrictions to combat the new coronavirus.
Hwange National Park has an estimate of 104 species of mammals and about 420 bird species making it ideal for game viewing
The government’s decision, announced by the information minister Monica Mutsvangwa, came amid an outcry from the national parks and private safari lodges that the continued lockdown was endangering both businesses and conservation efforts.
Restaurants will be allowed to serve meals to sit-in customers, but only with limited numbers, Mutsvangwa said.
Like many countries across the globe, Zimbabwe is beginning to open up after a strict lockdown, trying to strike a balance between ensuring public safety and the need to keep alive an already struggling economy.
The southern African country has recorded just under 600 cases by Wednesday.
“We desperately needed to open,” said Tinashe Farawo, spokesman for the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority, said.
He said the parks agency had been running on “close to zero” income since the lockdown introduced in March to slow the spread of the new coronavirus and was struggling to pay about 2,000 rangers who are vital to combat poaching in the country’s parks, teeming with elephants, lion, hyena, buffalo, zebra and other wildlife.
Zimbabwe’s parks agency largely relies on tourism for income, and has been pushing to be allowed to sell animals such as elephants without “undue restrictions” to foreign zoos to raise money for conservation.
With international travel restrictions, there have been virtually no tourists from North America, Europe or Asian countries that provide most of Zimbabwe’s tourists. The national parks are concentrating on domestic tourism in the meantime, said Farawo.
UK based building materials supplier, “Vaka Building Materials and Hardware” has introduced a Borehole Installation service for Zimbabweans in the diaspora to install boreholes back home.
UK based building materials supplier, “Vaka Building Materials and Hardware” has introduced a borehole installation service for Zimbabweans in the diaspora to install boreholes back home.
UK based building materials supplier, “Vaka Building Materials and Hardware” has introduced a Borehole Installation service for Zimbabweans in the diaspora to install boreholes back home.
Customers in the diaspora can now pay for borehole installations anywhere in Zimbabwe.
Speaking to Nehanda Radio about the new product range, the CEO of Vaka, Tapiwa Kundoro said;
“This is an innovative opportunity for Zimbabweans in the diaspora to install boreholes for their loved one’s home and also on their own properties.”
With the water crisis that has been around and the quality of water reducing, it’s the right time to get a borehole installed. We want to make sure that loved ones at home always access to clean water within the comfort of their own homes,” Kundoro added.
Vaka is an official agent for many Zimbabwean based building materials suppliers that include Zimtile, Willdale Bricks, Impipower, Metrotile, Duraworld, Sorwell Steel, Lafarge and many more.
With branches in Harare, Gweru and Bulawayo and a distribution network that supplies all over Zimbabwe, Vaka has helped many Zimbabweans in the diaspora to build homes back in Zimbabwe.
To find out more about these products or buying building materials you can contact Vaka on +447858946317 or visit www.vaka.co.zw
Ray Ndlovu, Brian Latham, Godfrey Marawanyika and Antony Sguazzin
Zimbabwe’s security force leaders sidelined the nation’s economic chiefs and forced the government to issue an order to close the stock exchange and halt most mobile-money transactions, people familiar with the situation said.
Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa, left, arrives at Robert Mugabe International Airport in Harare, Zimbabwe, Monday, Jan. 21, 2019. Mnangagwa arrived in Harare after cutting short his fund-raising trip in order to address the country’s economic crisis and crackdown. (AP Photo/Tsvangirayi Mukwazhi)
The June 26 order came after pressure from the Joint Operations Command and was made without notifying the central bank, which regulates the mobile-money industry through which almost all of Zimbabwe’s commerce takes place, the people said.
They asked not to be identified because the role of the JOC hasn’t been disclosed publicly.
The measure is further evidence that senior ruling party and military officials are growing impatient with the administration of President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
Inflation has surged to 786%, the currency has crashed and the country is facing shortages of food and fuel.
The JOC includes officials from the military, police and secret service and is the highest body in terms of coordinating state security, though it doesn’t usually pronounce on economic matters.
It stepped in after deeming that Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube and central bank Governor John Mangudya failed to take action to address the crisis, one of the people said.
Defense Minister Oppah Muchinguri, who chairs the JOC, wasn’t immediately available for comment, said a person who answered her mobile phone when Bloomberg sought comment. The government denied the order came from the JOC.
“The order came from government after taking input from all agencies and departments,” said Nick Mangwana, the government spokesman.
“Evidence linking the mobile-money platforms to money laundering as well as illegal foreign-exchange trading and money creation had been uncovered.”
Mobile Money
Central bank officials were unaware of the order when called by mobile money companies on June 26, two of the people said. Mangudya didn’t answer his mobile phone or respond to a message left with his assistant when Bloomberg sought comment on Tuesday.
“It is not correct that the Reserve Bank and the Ministry of Finance were not involved in the decision or were not aware of the developments leading to the suspension,” Secretary for Finance George Guvamatanga said in response to questions sent by mobile phone text message.
“This was a further follow up of work that the Financial Intelligence Unit was already working on which led to a court ruling against one of the mobile operators.”
Zimbabwe’s biggest mobile-money platform, with more than 10 million registered users, is Econet Wireless Zimbabwe Ltd. unit Ecocash.
The Zimbabwe Stock Exchange is privately owned. It was last suspended in 2008 when inflation surged to 500 billion percent and the Zimbabwe dollar was scrapped the following year.
Econet declined to comment on the government allegations.
Soaring Stocks
The ZSE’s benchmark industrial index has risen sevenfold this year as shares are used as a hedge against inflation. Mobile money was used to buy shares and then that money was moved out of the country, the Information Ministry said in the June 26 statement.
The JOC took action as the Zimbabwe dollar, reintroduced last year after a decade-long hiatus, plunged in value on the black market to below 100 to the U.S. dollar. That compares with an official rate of about 57. As recently as last year, Zimbabwe pegged its currency at parity with the greenback.
As pressure grows on the administration of Mnangagwa, who succeeded longtime ruler Robert Mugabe in 2017 after a military coup, the leader has increasingly blamed the private sector for the nation’s woes.
There is “a relentless attack on our currency and the economy in general through exorbitant pricing models by the private sector,” Mnangagwa said June 10 at a meeting of the ruling party’s politburo.
“We are fully cognizant that this is a battle being fueled by our political detractors, elite opportunists and malcontents who are bent on pushing a nefarious agenda which they will never win.”
The International Monetary Fund estimates the economy will contract as much as 10.4% this year. Bloomberg
Appearing before Regional Magistrate Mrs Phathekile Msipa facing two counts of rape was Wester Maposa from Plot 52, Summerset Farm in Gweru.
