Former VP Mphoko in court for criminal abuse of office

Former Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko has arrived at the Harare Magistrates Court where he is being prosecuted for criminal abuse of office.

The accusations are that he stormed Avondale Police Station sometime in 2016 and demanded the freeing from police custody of former ZINARA executives after they were arrested in 2016.

The then ZINARA officials, Moses Juma (chief executive officer) and Davison Norupiri (board member) were accused of graft involving over $1 million and had been arrested by the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission.

However, Mphoko reportedly visited the station during the night and identified himself as “the VP of the country”, saying, “I want my boys to go”.

It was reported that the police details who attended to him and released the ZINARA officials recorded his name in the detention book (DB) as the one who had authorised the two’s releases.

Apparently, according to the law, Vice presidents, have no power to order the release of suspects from police stations in such a manner, and his conduct has been viewed as obstruction of justice.

Zwnews