via Suspected terrorists remanded in custody | The Herald February 3, 2016
Tendai Rupapa Senior Court Reporter—
four men suspected of trying to petrol-bomb the First Family’s Alpha Omega Dairy farm in Mazowe were yesterday back in court facing a more serious charge of treason after investigations revealed that they sought to overthrow the Government through unconstitutional means. Zimbabwe People’s Front political party president Owen Kuchata (34) and Borman Ngwenya (30), Solomon Makumbe (29) and Silas Pfupa (37) appeared before Harare provincial magistrate Mr Vakayi Chikwekwe under heavy police guard.
The court heard that Ngwenya and Makumbe are attached to 1 Field Regiment and Zimbabwe Intelligence Corps. When they initially appeared in court recently, the four were charged with possession of weaponry for sabotage and money laundering.
However, after further investigations, treason charges emerged after it was discovered that the quartet had established a militia training base in Mapinga, Mashonaland West, where they planned to commit terror acts, sabotage and banditry.
It is alleged they proceeded to President Mugabe’s rural home in Zvimba where they carried out investigations identifying suitable vulnerable points to sabotage. Makumbe and Pfupa had been released before plea under the instructions of Prosecutor-General Johannes Tomana, who is said to have unilaterally suggested that the two be treated as witnesses.
According to the State, this was contrary to the evidence at hand, which linked them to the offence. As a result, Mr Tomana was arrested and charged with criminal abuse of office as public officer or alternatively defeating or obstructing the course of justice.
The quartet, who is not represented, appeared before Mr Vakayi Chikwekwe, who remanded them in custody to February 16. They were advised to apply for bail at the High Court due to the seriousness of the offence.
Prosecutor Mr Michael Reza alleged that sometime in August 2015, the accused persons met at Queens Hotel in Harare where they hatched a plan to unseat a constitutionally elected Government through force.
Sometime in December 2015, Kuchata and Ngwenya proceeded to Mapinga, where they identified a suitable location to establish a militia training base, it is alleged. It is the State’s case that they planned to commit terror acts, sabotage and banditry from that camp as a way of forcing the President to surrender power.
On January 1, this year, they allegedly proceeded to President Mugabe’s rural home in Zvimba where they carried out reconnaissance identifying suitable vulnerable points to sabotage.
It is alleged the four held several meetings at Queens Hotel mapping strategies on how they would strike. In one of their meetings they conspired to carry out attacks using fertiliser bombs to overthrow the constitutionally elected Government of Zimbabwe.
Police received a tip-off that the four were planning to bomb Alpha Omega Dairy’s processing plant and tuckshop during the night. The dairy’s processing plant and tuckshop are located at Gushungo Dairy Estate, Jumbo Road in Mazowe.
Acting on the tip-off, the police proceeded to the farm and laid an ambush about 100 metres from the quartet’s target. Around 10pm, the detectives saw the men approaching the processing plant and immediately arrested them.
They searched them and recovered four Molotov cocktails (bombs) made of petrol, ammonium nitrate, nails and sand in 750ml liquor empty bottles. The recovered devices were sent for forensic examination and were found to be home-made fertiliser bombs capable of causing fatal and extensive damage.
COMMENTS
I guess we are all terrorists? Dont you think so ZanuPF fools.
Just another ZanuPF put up job.Every bloody year Mugabe is at deaths door and all of a sudden emerges as a Lazarus.Same goes for his wife.They are scum and always will be.Grace a PHD what a joke she is a moron as are her kids. Zimbabwe has been named as the most corrupt country in Africa and we all know why.
The police force look like a bunch of hobo’s.Filthy and unkempt,tattered uniforms and a disgrace to what was a force to be proud of BSAP. Zimbabwe is on the brink of collapse and Mugabe is planning a huge birthday bash whilst millions starve.What an evil lot they are.Kasukuwere is building a fifty bedroom mansion,where did the money come from.What a pity Zimbabweans are such a cowardly bunch.This would never happen anywhere except North Korea.So sad.
one man’s freedom fighter is another man’s terrorist…
Its been a long time since the regime executed its own soldier. Last time was Gen S Mujuru. However these were not the only ones accused of wanting to topple Mugabe. Its known that Mugabe whenever there is acute opposition to Mugabe he will start accusing people of wanting to kill him and shade blood to appease his ego. When ZAPU was force to recon with, he killed 20000 Matebeleland people people in the 1983-87. In Mozambique a lot will remember how Rugare Gumbo and Mhanda and others were arrested and detained for no reason, except that they want to betray Mugabe and the revolution. When Zum came into force, a number of youth including teachers died. Sithole was accused of fronting Chimwenje and their hidding place at discovery was not even a bush but a mare bridge. Where would people hide AK47 and grenades when in 1980 Mugabe made is a crime for people to even walk with knifes. He planted these people and then accused Sithole. That traumatised Sithole until he died like a villian. Banana also accused of Homo sexual, simpbly because he never agreed to one party state and the abuse of presidential powers with immunity. Tsvangirai was accused of treason and regime change, Mugabe planted Ariel Ben Menashe, and caused so much stire. Gen Tongogara and Gen Mujurumilar cases. The target in these planted military guys is Joice Mujuru. These accused would be forced and cohersed to say that they were send by soem one connected with people first and then Mujuru, Rugare Gumbo and Mutasa. Their accusation of yester=-years of Mujuru going to witch doctors and planning to remove democratically elected Mugabe could not hold water. I challenge Mugabe to a simple election, which is monitored by UN, SADC, AU and ECPWAS, NATO and win. He would loose even to Chinotimba. Why would people always want to kill Mugabe and fail since 1980. All these killers are the imagination of Mugabe and fear. Its his mechanism of neutralizing opposition