Bright Matonga Arrested For Theft, Again
Former Deputy Minister of Information, Bright Matonga, who was arrested last month on allegations of stealing farming equipment, has been arrested again, for theft.
Following his arrest on 25 June 2024, Matonga was subsequently granted US$600 bail by Chegutu Magistrate, Evelyn Mashawakure.
However, Matonga’s legal troubles appear to be far from over, as he has now been arrested once more, this time on accusations of theft of irrigation pipes.
Matonga’s lawyer, Innocent Muchini of Muchini Attorneys told The Herald that Matonga was arrested on Wednesday morning on allegations of theft of irrigation pipes. Said Muchini:
He called me in the morning over the issue. The allegations are not clear. I am driving to Chegutu to attend to the matter and will share all the information once I get the facts.
When Matonga was arrested last month, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) outlined the charges he was facing as follows:
Count 1
The accused person is facing allegations of theft emanating from an incident which happened on the 10th of December 2021 when he unlawfully took two John Deere tractors belonging to the complainant from Monchris (Landos) farm in Selous and took them to his farm. The accused person owns the Chigwell farm in Chegutu. The tractors are valued at USD70 000 and were both recovered.
Count 2
The accused person is jointly charged with his employee, Wasili Wisili on allegations of theft. The State is alleging that on the 19th of February 2016, the complainant, Talbec Investments Pvt Ltd represented by David Leonard Van Breda entered into a joint venture with the first accused person who is the owner of Chigwell farm in Chegutu. The agreement gave the complainant farming rights on the said farm for up to 15 years. Upon occupying the farm, the complainant equipped the farm with farm implements and machinery valued at USD414 888. The complainant only operated on the farm for six years before his employees were evicted by the first accused person on the 11th of December 2021 and they left behind all their farm equipment, implements as well as consumables. It is alleged that sometime in December 2021, the first and second accused persons instructed Chigwell Farm employees to open the warehouse at the farm and load farming equipment and implements belonging to the complainant onto vehicles on multiple occasions. They took the farm implements to a destination unknown to the State.
Matonga served as the Deputy Information Minister in the cabinet of the late former President, Robert Mugabe.
In 2016 Matonga was reported to have been blamed for the rundown of Chigwell Estate in Chegutu. It was reported that the farm before Matonga took over would sustain the livelihood of about 500 people and help Zimbabwe’s annual revenue with $4 million in exports.
In July 2020, Bright Matonga was listed, in the BSR of 18 July 2020, as a beneficiary in the 2007 RBZ Farm Mechanisation Scheme, as a result of the Fast Track Land Reform Programme.
He is listed under the thematic group “Politicians”. According to the list, he got goods worth US$359,420.00.
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