Daniel Nemukuyu Senior Court Reporter
The prosecution in the murder of police Inspector Petros Mutedza says Tichaona Mutedza, a brother to the deceased, was grandstanding to gain political mileage by accusing Zanu-PF and State security agents of the killing. Law officer Mr Edmore Nyazamba described Mr Mutedza, a self confessed MDC-T activist, as an attention seeker who was not concerned by the death of his brother.
Mr Mutedza last week told the court that his brother’s body had no genitals and tongue and that he believed the 29 suspects who have been in custody since last year were innocent.
He was testifying during a fresh bail application by the 29 MDC-T activists who are being charged of killing Insp Mutedza.
Mr Nyazamba accused Mr Mutedza of misleading the court.
“You were not present at Glen View 3 shops when your brother was killed.
“You did not go to Glen View to inquire on his death neither did you interview anyone to get the truth.
“So who are you to come to this court and tell us who killed your brother.
“The police investigated, went to Glen View and compiled information before charging the 29.
“It is clear that you want to gain political mileage because you are a member of the MDC. You are not even worried about the death of your brother,” he said.
During cross-examination Mr Mutedza insisted that his brother was killed by Zanu-PF and the CIO.
He insisted that the genitals and tongue were missing challenging the State to exhume the corpse to verify the claims.
Mr Mutedza implicated a Zanu-PF DCC chairperson in Mt Darwin called Mr Chirwanemoto of hinting of the killing of his brother at a political gathering on August 6, 2003.
Mr Mutedza said on April 18 last year his late brother confirmed the death plot by Zanu-PF in their last conversation.
He implicated operatives identified as Scott and Victor Jaravaza as the ones who were initially set to kill his brother and in return get a tractor and a vehicle respectively.
Mr Nyazamba said the reason why Mr Mutedza talked of an officer called Gombiro was because he was already dead and that he could not be asked to testify.
Mr Mutedza made a counter-claim that Zanu-PF used his brother’s death as a campaign tool against MDC.
“They (Zanu-PF) used the death of my brother to gain political support. They are de-campaigning MDC by portraying them as a violent party. They are also detaining the 29 MDC activists for no reason,” said Mr Mutedza.
Mr Nyazamba produced a document proving that when a pathologist conducted post-mortem, all the private parts were in place but Mr Mutedza said the pathologist simply appended his signature to please certain authorities.
The court also viewed some pictures of the body showing a bulge on the private parts but Mr Mutedza said there was nothing bulging on the picture.
Justice Chinembiri Bhunu deferred the bail hearing to today when Insp Mutedza’s father is expected to give evidence.