HARARE - Former Zimbabwe Football Association (Zifa) chief executive Henrietta Rushwaya was abandoned by her lawyers yesterday as her corruption trial opened at the Harare Magistrates’ Court.

Rushwaya, who was fined for wilful default after failing to appear in court on time as she scampered around looking for a lawyer, appeared for trial alone after her lawyers ditched her after their attempt to scuttle the trial was thrown out by the magistrate.

Magistrate Esthere Chivasa had earlier dismissed Rushwaya’s application to stop the trial pending application for review of the magistrate’s decision at the Attorney General (AG’s) office.

Rushwaya’s lawyer Jonathan Samukange did not turn up for the afternoon trial after he had insisted that the trial be stopped. Chivasa had dismissed his application saying the appeal for review did not stop the corruption trial proceedings.

“I’m actually clear that the application for review does not stop the proceedings from these lower courts so I am convinced that the trial should proceed,” said Chivasa.

After a brief adjournment, defence attorney Dumisani Mtombeni, standing in for Samukange, immediately applied for a postponement of the matter to today since the court had dismissed their application to stop trial. - Ivan Zhakata