MAMOMBE BACK IN COURT
HARARE West legislator Joanna Mamombe was back in court yesterday in the matter in which she is accused of publishing falsehoods and filed an application requesting further particulars to prepare her defence for trial.
Mamombe and Cecelia Chimbiri appeared before acting Chief Magistrate Faith Mushure who ordered the State to respond to the application by December 7, so that a determination can be made on December 9.
The pair is accused of publishing falsehoods by faking their abduction together with their accomplice Netsai Marova who is on the run.
The application for further particulars follows the duo’s application for the recusal of regional magistrate Vongai Guwuriro whom they felt could not try them fairly because of remarks she made during a bail ruling she made against them in a different matter.
In recusing herself, Muchuchuti-Guwuriro said although the duo in their application failed to prove that she is partial, she was just going to recuse herself for the interests of justice to be administered.
“The application was premised on a bail ruling I made involving accused persons in a completely different matter.
“In the ruling referred to, I made the following statements, it is clear that the allegations that are before them are not baseless and are premised on reasonable grounds.
“I also said they openly refuse to be tried raising numerous technicalities and at the same time they go and commit more offences and the accused persons are clearly riddling the interest of justice and the courts must be able to see beyond that veil of deceit.
“On page nine of the same bail ruling this court said in this case we have accused persons who have exhibited complete disdain for the admin of justice for purposes that only they can explain . . .
“This court will however, recuse itself in the interests of justice even though it’s confident that it executes its duties impartially,” she said.