BY TREVOR MUTSVAIRO THE trial of former University of Zimbabwe (UZ) vice-chancellor Levy Nyagura on charges of corruptly issuing former First Lady Grace Mugabe a doctorate was yesterday postponed to June 24.
Nyagura appeared before Harare magistrate Stanford Mambanje who postponed the matter to allow for appointment of another magistrate to replace Munamato Mutevedzi who is now a High Court judge.
Allegations are that sometime in 2011, Nyagura single-handedly accepted and approved Grace’s application to study for a Doctor of Philosophy Degree in Sociology without the knowledge and recommendations of the Departmental Board and Faculty of Higher Degrees Committee in violation of UZ quality assurance guidelines and benchmarks.
Nyagura allegedly took supervisors and examiners to Grace’s Mazowe Estates, where the defence oral examination was purportedly done without the knowledge and approval of the academic committee.
Ideally, the oral examination was supposed to be done on campus.
The State said Nyagura allegedly abused his position by showing favour to Grace, who did not meet the minimum requirements to study for the degree.
It is alleged Nyagura’s action had the negative effect of compromising the standards of the country’s education system.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa suspended Nyagura in 2018.
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He was initially suspended by the UZ council before he was arrested on allegations of abuse of authority over his conduct.
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