Mahlangu Trial Kasukuwere Testifies Zimbabwe News Online Refreshingly Different

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Topix: , Youth Minister Saviour, MP for Nkulumane constituency,, Thamsanqa Mahlangu resumed Monday, witness', s stand., Mahlangu, MDC, deputy Youth Minister,, Nyoni face charges, permission., During the trial,, kilometres from Harare., Phiri, Phiri and Patience Nyoni,, co-, accused, Phiri and Nyoni, Chinotimba had left, CID law and Order.,, Phiri day, Saviour Kasukuwere taking, MP for Nkulumane, Youth Minister, stand., Mahlangu, Mahlangu resumed Monday, Thamsanqa, Phiri;, Michael, Mwale, friend, Chinotimba but failed, Reitz, an employee, Harare', s law, off., The Zimbabwean, Nyoni had removed, Kasukuwere taking, Nkulumane constituency,, Minister Saviour, Mahlangu, Thamsanqa Mahlangu, Youth Minister,, US$, 40., Meanwhile,, MDC youth, Patience Nyoni,, Monday called, Harare., Phiri, Inspector Dowa, Zimbabwean

Also In This Section , , Mahlangu trial - Kasukuwere testifies HARARE - The trial on theft of cell phone charges of , Youth Minister Latest News & pictures Zimbabwe">deputy Youth Minister , Mahlangu Resumed Monday Latest News & pictures Zimbabwe">Thamsanqa Mahlangu resumed Monday with , Minister Saviour Latest News & pictures Zimbabwe">Youth Minister Saviour , Kasukuwere taking to the witness's stand. Mahlangu, , MDC , MP for Nkulumane constituency is being accused of stealing a cell phone from self-styled war veterans leader, Joseph Chinotimba. HARARE - The trial on theft of cell phone charges of deputy , Youth Minister , Thamsanqa Mahlangu resumed Monday with Youth Minister , Saviour Kasukuwere taking to the witness's stand. Mahlangu, MDC , MP for Nkulumane constituency, is being accused of stealing a cell phone from self-styled war veterans leader, Joseph Chinotimba. The two had, on July 17 this year, both attended a conference called by Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara to craft the country's "National Vision 2040" document and were billed to make presentations when the cell phone went missing. The conference was held at Harare's Rainbow Towers. Kasukuwere, the fourth witness to give evidence since the start of the trial last month told the court he was approached by Mahlangu on July 23, six days after the alleged offence, requesting him to facilitate a meeting with Chinotimba. Kasukuwere said Mahlangu had told him he feared confrontation with Chinotimba if he had personally taken the phone to him and wanted the matter resolved "amicably". According to Kasukuwere, not any moment during his brief meeting with Mahlangu did the latter suggest he had intentions to permanently deprive Chinotimba of his phone. He further says Mahlangu briefly related to him how he and his aid, Malvin Chadamoyo, with whom he is jointly charged, ended up with Chinotimba's phone. "He told me that his aid had mistakenly bundled the phone together with his conference documents and belongings when they were leaving the venue," said Kasukuwere. "He asked me to talk to Comrade Chinotimba and see if the matter could be resolved amicably." Chinotimba's phone looks the same with that of Mahlangu. When the phone went missing, Mahlangu sat at the same table with Chinotimba during the lunch break. The State says , Chinotimba had left his mobile phone on the table while he collected some food. On his return, he could not find the phone prompting an announcement by the master of ceremony. But that was to no avail as no one had responded. Police later tracked the number with the help of the network provider and arrested two women, Geraldine , Phiri and Patience Nyoni who were using the sim-card in Hwange, about 900 , kilometres from Harare., Phiri and , Nyoni face charges of contravening a section of the telecommunications Act for allegedly using a sim-card without the owner's , permission., During the trial Kasukuwere said he had been told by Mahlangu they later discovered at a hotel where they had put up with co-accused, , Phiri and Nyoni had removed the sim-card from the phone. Phiri is believed to be a girlfriend to the , MDC youth leader. Kasukuwere said he did not ask Mahlangu if at all they had the intention of stealing Chinotimba's phone. He said he immediately tried to call , Chinotimba but failed to reach him. He then took the phone into his custody and resolved to call Chinotimba the next morning. But hardly had he found time to call Chinotimba when he received a call from , Harare\', s law and order police division enquiring about the phone. It was then that Mahlangu and the other accused persons were arrested and charged with the theft of the cell phone, a Nokia 2310 valued at , US$, 40., Meanwhile three other state witnesses were on , Monday called to testify in the matter. They include Doreen Mwale, a , friend to , Phiri;, Michael Reitz, , an employee in the Mutambara's office and Detective , Inspector Dowa of , CID law and Order. On her part, , Mwale told the court she had received a call from Phiri a day after the alleged offence using the line. Mwale said she was told by Phiri that she had picked the line from a bin in the hotel room where she had spent the night with Mahlangu. The trial continues on Tuesday during which Inspector Dowa will continue giving evidence. Chinotimba was first to give evidence when the tial kicked off. The Zimbabwean

Published: Tue, 22nd Sep 2009
Source: Great Indaba