HARARE - Harare Zanu PF youth leader Jim Kunaka yesterday turned a court session into a ‘‘mock political rally’’ when he claimed land officials are corrupt.

Kunaka was testifying during trial of two Mashwede Diesel workers accused of trying to bribe him.

The suspects are Isheanesu Maribha, 34 and Gwezuva Changamire, 35, who are employed by Mashwede Diesel Services as general manager and sales representative respectively.

Dressed in a blue suit, matching shirt and a red tie, Kunaka ran into a heated argument with the duo’s lawyer Augustine Runesu Chizikani.

Kunaka refused to answer some of Chizikani’s questions.

He argued Chizikani was not entitled to know some of the information since he was not a policeman.

He said he could not divulge the information to someone he did not trust.

The youth leader could at times speak using hand gestures, appealing to the gallery as if he wanted people in the courtroom to understand better than the court itself.

He told the court there were corrupt officials in the allocation of land and people were now building on swampy areas.

Kunaka further told the court that it was a “well known fact” that Mashwede used money to influence decisions.

The court heard the two Mashwede Diesel Services employees were arrested after they attempted to bribe Kunaka over the construction of a service station in Harare at corner Harare Street and Cripps Road which had been contested by Mbare Residents Committee.

The two allegedly wanted Kunaka to use his political muscle to influence the residents to support the construction of the service station.

The matter continues today. - Ivan Zhakata