Former Home Affairs minister Obert Mpofu was yesterday issued with a warrant of arrest by a Bulawayo magistrate after he failed to attend court to testify in a case where Ntabazinduna Chief Felix Nhlanhlayemangwe Ndiweni and his 22 subjects are accused of destroying a villager’s property.
The alleged destruction of the fence and kraal came after Chief Ndiweni reportedly ordered a villager, Fatti Mbele, to divorce his wife for allegedly cheating on him.
Chief Ndiweni’s lawyer, Dumisani Dube, early this year asked the court to subpoena Mpofu to testify in court following indications by the traditional leader that the former minister was behind their arrest and had influenced Mbele to file criminal charges against them.
However, Mpofu, through an affidavit dated July 6, which was brought to court by his lawyer Byron Sengweni, declined to testify saying he knew nothing about the matter.
Dube, who is representing the accused persons, sought a court order compelling Mpofu to attend court after which the latter was served with the summons.
Yesterday, Ndiweni and his co-accused appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Nyaradzo Ringisai where the Zanu PF secretary for administration was scheduled to testify.
But Mpofu visited the court briefly and left, ostensibly to prepare for the Zanu PF national conference scheduled for Esigodini in December.
When a police officer made a roll call for Mpofu, he did not show up and the State asked the court to issue a warrant of arrest.
newsday
