Former Minister of Environment, Tourism and Hospitality Prisca Mupfumira’s trial dates have been set for 18-20 November 2020, over a year after she was arrested on corruption allegations by the Zimbabwe Anti Corruption Commission.
She is facing six counts of corrupt activities emanating from her tenure as a cabinet minister. She was subsequently relieved of her duties to allow for investigations to take place.
Representing Mupfumira, Advocate Sylvester Hashit complained about the actions of the state in dragging the matter. He also applied that his client’s bail conditions be relaxed.
“It is more than a year later since the arrest and the state gives us a trial date today, not for all counts but for one out of six counts,” said advocate Hashit.
“The accused has been reporting to the police and availing herself before the court whenever she was required to do so. Her bail conditions need to be relaxed considering the that she has been attending court religiously,” he added.
The former Cabinet Minister is being jointly accused with an ex- NSSA Director, Barnabas Matongera, in a case involving a housing project in Gweru where it is alleged that they bungled a tender process in approving the project.
Mupfumira and Matongera are being charged with criminal abuse of office charge
Their trial was supposed to have commenced today but the State was yet to furnish the duo with documents to prepare their defence.
Meanwhile, state prosecutor Michael Reza did not oppose the application but said he was not prepared saying Mupfumira must go back to the High Court where she was granted bail.
