Zimpapers Logo

Fungai Lupande Court Reporter
The Harare Magistrates’ Court will on September 29 indict four men, including jailed Zimbabwe People’s Front president Owen Kuchata, on suspicions of plotting to bomb the First Family’s dairy farm in Mazowe.

Kuchata is serving nine years for banditry and money laundering.

He is jointly charged with Borman Ngwenya, a soldier attached to military intelligence; Solomon Makumbe (29), who is also a Zimbabwe National Army corporal; and Silas Pfupa (37), an ex-soldier.

They are facing treason charges.

Harare magistrate Ms Vongai Muchuchuti-Guuriro presided over the matter recently.

Makumbe and Pfupa are represented by Mrs Gamuchira Dzitiro while Ngwenya and Kuchata are self-actors.

The quartet allegedly established a military training base in Mapinga, Mashonaland West Province, where they planned to commit terror acts, sabotage and banditry.

Prosecuting, Mr Sebastian Mutizirwa alleged that on January 1, the four proceeded to President Mugabe’s rural home in Zvimba, where they identified suitable points to sabotage.

It is alleged the four held several meetings at Queens Hotel in Harare, mapping strategies on how they would strike.

Police received a tip-off that the four were planning to bomb Alpha Omega Dairy’s processing plant and a tuckshop in Mazowe.

Acting on the tip-off, police proceeded to the farm and laid an ambush about 100 metres from the quartet’s target.

At around 10pm, the detectives saw the men approaching the processing plant and immediately arrested them. They deny the charges.