New suspect in inmate’s obstruction justice case

A NEW suspect, Ignatious Bumhira, has been charged with obstruction of justice in the case of an inmate who altered his audiology report to state that he was deaf and couldn’t stand trial.

Bumhira was not asked to plead when he appeared in court yesterday.

The inmate, Witness Nyarupa, implicated Bumhira last month in court along with senior prison officer Takawira Taderera.

Allegations are that on December 2, 2022, Nyarupa was arrested by CID Homicide on four counts of armed robbery.

He was remanded in custody pending finalisation of investigations.

The court heard that while he was in remand prison, trial proceedings were stalled because he indicated that he had a hearing impairment.

The State applied for him to be examined by an audiologist.

On June 23 last year, Nyarupa was taken to Audiomax Clinic along Baines Avenue where was examined by Dr Tsungirirai Marufu.

An audiological evaluation was conducted on him and the doctor compiled a report which concluded that he could hear normally in both ears.

The doctor’s report was sent to Harare Remand Prison.

The State said Nyarupa connived with Taderera to intercept the report and make material alterations.

Taderera allegedly drafted another medical report stating that Nyarupa couldn’t hear with both ears.

Taderera allegedly stamped the report using a ZPCS Harare Remand Clinic date stamp and took it to the Harare Magistrates’ Court.

On January 17 this year, the prosecutor subpoenaed the audiologist to explain and simplify some terms which were not clear to people not in the medical field.

When the audiologist went to testify, she distanced herself from the report which had been submitted by ZPCS.

It became apparent that the report was fake and was aimed at defeating the course of justice leading to the duo’s arrest.

Upon questioning, Nyarupa implicated Taderera saying the two connived to alter the report in a bid to evade trial together with Bumhira.

Rufaro Chonzi appeared for the State.