Former Public Service Minister Prisca Mupfumira is now a free woman, as all criminal cases against her have come to an end.
On Thursday, Harare magistrate Marewanazvo Gofa formally removed Mupfumira from remand in connection with allegations of misappropriating public funds to finance the travel of government employees to her daughter’s wedding in South Africa.
This decision comes after the state failed to prosecute her for nearly five years, citing various reasons for the delays.
Mupfumira, a member of the ZANU PF Central Committee, had been jointly charged with her former secretary, Ngoni Masoka.
As reported by <a href="https://www.zimlive.com/ex-minister-mupfumira-now-off-the-hook-as-her-last-corruption-case-collapses/">ZimLive</a>, the magistrate said the two “have been on remand since 2019 and that there has been no progress since last year when the matter was ordered to commence”. She added:
<blockquote>
The two cannot be prejudiced because the magistrate was elevated to be a judge and that it is in the interest of justice to remove them from remand.
</blockquote>
The State alleged that Mupfumira and her former secretary, Masoka, misappropriated a US$90,000 NSSA loan by financing the travel of public service ministry employees to Mupfumira’s daughter’s wedding in South Africa.
The prosecution stalled when the case was interrupted due to the elevation of then-chief magistrate Munamato Mutevedzi to the High Court.
Both Mupfumira and Masoka faced charges of abuse of duty as public officers, specifically for failing to disclose a loan application from NSSA, which was claimed to be for purchasing a ministerial vehicle, to the Office of the President and Cabinet as required.
Additionally, Mupfumira was accused of directing her ministry’s finance director to purchase air tickets for her aides attending the wedding, as well as covering accommodation and transport expenses.
This misappropriation allegedly resulted in a loss of US$10,215 and ZAR113,539 to the ministry.
She was represented by her lawyer, Admire Rubaya, who applied for refusal of further remand.
Rubaya contended that they had given the State “a long rope,” adding that the application came after several petitions and several notices against the State for a motion for refusal of further remand to be instituted.
He pointed out the inordinate delays, stating that Mupfumira had been on remand for 1,796 days without trial since her arrest.
Rubaya argued that this extended period violated his client’s right to a timely hearing and imposed restrictions on her movement due to bail conditions.
He also claimed that these delays had hindered Mupfumira’s ability to fulfill her parliamentary duties and subjected her to ongoing societal criticism.
The State attributed the delays to the elevation of the trial magistrate to a judgeship, as well as disruptions caused by COVID-19, which affected court proceedings from 2020 to 2021 due to lockdowns. 
The state also said that one witness in the case had passed away during this time, further complicating their case.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Pindula News

Former Minister Prisca Mupfumira has been cleared of all corruption charges. The case against her collapsed because it took too long to prosecute her. She was accused of using public money to pay for travel to her daughter's wedding. The delays in the case were blamed on various reasons, like the elevation of the judge and the COVID-19 pandemic. Mupfumira's lawyer argued that the long delays violated her rights and caused harm to her reputation. Overall, the case against her has ended, and she is now a free woman.

Mupfumira Now Free After Last Corruption Case Collapses

Former tourism Minister, <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/Prisca_Mupfumira">Prisca Mupfumira</a> ‘s psychiatrist on Friday testified in court that the former minister is not well and discouraged the court from commencing her trial as it would worsen her mental condition, the Daily News reports.
The Psychiatrist, who reportedly has 15 years experience in both private and public practice,  Walter Mangezi said this to the court:
<blockquote>I had three sessions with her before I diagnosed depression and put her on medication. Hers is severe depression because she exhibited five of the core symptoms as she was facing difficulties sleeping, was always sad, lost appetite, pleasure, energy and interest in daily activities.
Any court proceedings will bring back memories of what she has been through. All I ask for is some time to allow her to recover</blockquote>
Mupfumira’s <a href="https://news.pindula.co.zw/2019/12/10/mupfumira-mentally-unfit-to-stand-trial-lawyer/">trial failed to start on schedule as she was said to be unfit</a> to stand trial. She is charged with criminal abuse of office together with the Public Service Permanent Secretary<a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/Ngoni_Masoka"> Ngoni Masoka</a>
More: <a href="https://www.dailynews.co.zw/articles/2019/12/16/mupfumira-s-psychiatrist-testifies-in-court">The Daily News </a>

Mupfumira's Psychiatrist Confirms Her Mental Condition In Court

Yet another scandal will rock the NSSA boat as it has emerged that heavy losses were incurred after another minister tempered with people’s pensions.  According to The Standard, Petronella Kagonye who was the labour Minister from November 2017 to last year demanded 2 cars from NSSA for her own personal use. Kagonye is also said to have meddled in NSSA affairs and forced the cancellation of agreements that resulted in losses amounting to more than $40 Million.
According to the publication, Kagonye instructed directly or indirectly the following:
<blockquote>
<ol>
<li>A letter written by Ngoni Masoka read, The ministry is kindly requesting for a SUV or double-cab to be used by Honourable Petronella Kagonye until the ministry secures a vehicle from CMED</li>
<li>In another letter, Masoka requested $66 000 from Nssa for the International Day of Persons with Disabilities celebrations in Caledonia where President Emmerson Mnangagwa was scheduled to officiate. Caledonia is in Kagonye’s former constituency. the money was for T-shirts, lunch (two-piece chicken and chips), Jah Prayzah’s live performance, and paying the director of ceremonies, among other items.</li>
<li>In March 2018 just three months before the elections, she also wanted NSSA to make a similar donation to a school in Ruwa, again in her constituency.</li>
<li>Kagonye instructed an immediate moratorium on NSSA investments, forcing the authority to accumulate a huge cash balance around May 2018.Kagonye then instructed NSSA to give the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe US$60 million in cash before the July 2018 elections in exchange for Treasury Bills. Insiders now fear that NSSA will lose out in the deal after Zimbabwe abandoned the multi-currency regime in June.</li>
<li>During Kagonye’s tenure, NSSA was also forced to pay US$10 million in annual fees to an information technology solutions provider even after the authority’s own investigations done in five African countries showed that the fees could actually be as low as US$250 000.</li>
<li>During Kagonye’s tenure, the ministry also meddled in the appointment of staff at NSSA, it has been revealed. Masoka on Behalf of Kagonye wrote to Chitiga on February 19 ordering that one Lameck Danga should be appointed ahead of Gift Shoko because he had been with NSSA since its inception.( Despite 8/9 board members having approved of Gift Shoko)</li>
</ol>
</blockquote>
Ngoni Masoka who reportedly wrote most of these letter to NSSA was the permanent secretary in Kagonye’s Ministry. In a similar public office abuse case, <a href="https://news.pindula.co.zw/2019/07/25/just-in-tourism-minister-mupfumira-arrested-by-zacc/">Prisca Mupfumira has been in remand following criminal abuse of office at NSSA since July 2019 Prisca allegedly siphoned $95 Million</a> from NSSA during her tenure as labour minister. The Standard claims it has documents that reveal everything they have published about Kagonye.
More: <a href="https://www.thestandard.co.zw/2019/09/22/fresh-scandal-brews-nssa/">The Standard</a>

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