Mupfumira Wants Judge To Excuse Himself From Her Corruption Case
The former Minister of Tourism and Hospitality, Priscah Mupfumira wants Chief Magistrate Mr Munamato Mutevedzi to excuse himself from her a case she is accused of criminal abuse of office.
Mupfumira who is jointly charged with former Public Service Commission secretary Ngoni Masoka on criminal abuse of office after they allegedly misappropriated a US$90 000 loan facility and paid for air tickets to South Africa worth over R10 000 without the authority’s approval.
She argues that Mutevedzi has dealt and dismissed her other applications and “has already formulated an opinion on the matter”.
Mupfumira made the application after Mutevedzi had dismissed her application which sought the deferment of the trial deferred to another day.
She wanted the trial postponed on grounds that a Supreme Court ruling on her appeal against High Court decision to dismiss a review of her application for the exception to the charges.
Mupfumira’s lawyer Adv Hashiti had argued that the outcome of the Supreme Court decision has an effect on the ongoing trial since it has already been set down for hearing.
Nevertheless, Mutevedzi dismissed the application saying there was no order from the upper courts that compel him to stay proceedings pending the determination of her appeal.
The State is expected to respond to the application for Mutevedzi’s recusal.
More: The Herald
