Warrant of arrest for Chombo

FORMER Cabinet minister in late exPresident Robert Gabriel Mugabe’s government, Ignatius Chombo (pictured), was yesterday issued with a warrant of arrest after he failed to appear before a Harare magistrate for routine remand.

Chombo, who is facing several allegations of fraud, corruption, criminal nuisance and criminal abuse of office, was supposed to appear before magistrate Stanford Mambanje.

His alleged accomplices, Innocent Hamandishe and Kudzanai Chipanga, were remanded to October 28.

Chipanga, Chombo and Hamandishe were arrested for wearing Zanu PF regalia without permission following Mugabe’s ouster in a November 2017 coup.

They were also accused of being members of the G40 faction which was aligned to Mugabe.

Before his arrest for wearing Zanu PF regalia without permission, Chombo spent several days in military custody before he was handed over to the police for further investigations, which resulted in him appearing in court.

Chombo later filed an application to the Constitutional Court to have his matters quashed saying he was unlawfully arrested and detained.

The Constitutional Court stayed his prosecution, saying he was unlawfully detained by the military.

The police, however, arrested him again for other counts of criminal abuse of office.

Last month, Chombo filed an application for release of his passport, saying he wanted to travel to South Africa on medical grounds.