HARARE - Two Mashwede Diesel workers accused of trying to bribe Zanu PF’s Harare youth leader Jim Kunaka to allow for the construction of a $1,2 million service station and food court in Harare’s high density suburb of Mbare have been set free.

Harare magistrate Nomsa Sabarauta yesterday freed the two men Isheanesu Maribha, 34 and Gwezuva Changamire, 35, who are employed by Mashwede Diesel Services as general manager and sales representative
respectively after prosecutor Patience Chimusaru advised the court that Kunaka was not “cooperating”.

Kunaka was the state’s key witness and is the chairperson of Mbare Residents Committee, a body which claims to represent social concerns of Mbare residents.

“The case was ready for trial today (yesterday),” said Chimusaru.

“However, the state made frantic efforts to call Jim Kunaka to come and clarify whether Mbare Residents Committee is a registered organisation but he has not come to my office.”

Chimusaru further told the court she phoned Kunaka on several occasions but he has been giving different excuses every time and was not “forthcoming”.

Augustine Runesu Chizikani, who was representing the two, then applied to have his clients removed from remand, a request which was duly granted.

Mashwede Diesel Services was allocated a stand in Harare at corner Harare Street and Cripps Road, to build a service station in January this year.

The allocation, according to state papers, allegedly angered the Mbare Residents Committee, which claims it previously applied for the same property but were told the place was reserved for the expansion of Matapi Police Station.

It had been claimed that local residents demonstrated against the allocation of the place for the construction of the service station.

It was the state case that Shepherd Hungwe, also known as Gunpowder, approached Kunaka in a bid to urge him to advise local residents not to demonstrate against the construction of the service station.

According to the State, Gunpowder allegedly offered $15 000.

It is alleged Kunaka called the police and a trap was set, leading to the arrest of the two and the recovery of $5 000 alleged bribery money. - Tendai Kamhungira