Machaya application dismissed

GWERU provincial magistrate Charity Maphosa yesterday dismissed former Midlands Provincial Affairs minister Jason Machaya’s application for a case in which he is co-charged with Midlands provincial planning officer, Chisainyerwa Chibururu, to be tried at the Gokwe courts.

Machaya (65) and Chibururu (47) are facing criminal abuse of office charges and are alleged to have fraudulently acquired stands in Mupfungautsi, Gokwe.

The two, through their lawyers Alec Muchadehama and Ambrose Dururu, had requested that the trial be referred to Gokwe, arguing that the Gweru Magistrates’ Court had no jurisdiction over the matter.

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