Musvamhiri wins case in Shiri estate wrangle

oNe of the beneficiaries in the late former Air Force of Zimbabwe commander and cabinet minister, Perrance Shiri’s estate, Tanaka Musvamhiri, has had a case of forgery filed against her dismissed at the close of the State’s case.

Harare magistrate Faith Mushure dismissed the case brought by Rufaro Shiri who was accusing Musvamhiri of forging her identity documents to benefit from Shiri’s estate.

Musvamhiri, who was being represented by Ashiel Mugiya from Mugiya law chambers, had argued that Shiri’s allegations were fabricated in a bid to disinherit her as the late commander’s biological daughter.

She also submitted that the DNA results which were obtained after a test with Whiteford chikerema, Shiri’s brother were authentic.

She also denied allegations of misrepresentation to the executor of Shiri’s estate, Sobuza Gula-Ndebele.

Rufaro had accused Musvamhiri of fabricating the DNA test result with chikerema at the Global DNA Diagnostic centre to benefit from the late former cabinet minister’s estate.

Prosecutor Ruvimbo Matyatya alleged that Musvamhiri was well aware that her actual name was registered as Stephan Tanaka Musvamhiri which resulted in her appearing and being captured on the late estate's distribution account as

Tanaka Stephanie Shiri.

Musvamhiri, however, argued that the birth certificate she was using was issued on May 31, 2005 when she was 12 years old and it was applied for by her grandmother Molly Muzondo.

Her lawyers also argued that Musvamhiri's grandmother was the one who supplied all the information on the birth certificate including the residential address.

The defence indicated that when Musvamhiri’s birth certificate was lost in 2010, it was again Muzondo who applied for a replacement.

Musvamhiri was 17 years old at that time.

Mugiya further argued that Musvamhiri could not be held responsible for the information supplied by her grandmother.