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Margaret Matibiri Herald Reporter
Zimbabwe People’s Front president Owen Kuchata and his three alleged accomplices who are facing charges of treason after they attempted to overthrow the Government through unconstitutional means were yesterday further remanded to August 4.

The quartet appeared before magistrate Mr Tendai Mahwe who remanded them to the said date after the state indicated that the docket was not yet ready.

Kuchata, who is serving nine years for possessing weaponry for sabotage is jointly charged with Borman Ngwenya, Solomon Makumbe and Silas Pfupa.

Ngwenya is a soldier attached to military intelligence while Makumbe is also a Zimbabwe National Army corporal and Pfupa an ex-soldier.

Ngwenya was recently acquitted on charges of possessing weaponry for sabotage after regional magistrate Ms Fadzai Mthombeni ruled that, it was clear that Ngwenya was a spy working for the military and that his arrest was not justified.

Makumbe and Pfupa had their case of possessing weaponry for sabotage referred to the Constitutional Court after magistrate Mrs Mupindu said there was need to seek guidance from the superior court for clarity and interpretation of section 34 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act.

This was after their lawyer made an application to except to the summons compelling the pair to appear in court to answer to the charges on the basis that suspended Prosecutor-General Mr Johannes Tomana had not authorised their prosecution as is required in terms of the Section.

The State reinstated the charges of possession of weaponry for sabotage against Makumbe and Pfupa, which had been earlier withdrawn before plea on the instructions of Mr Tomana.

The four were arrested early this year after their abortive plot to bomb the First Family’s dairy farm in Mazowe.

Makumbe and Pfupa are represented by Mrs Gamuchira Dzitiro while Ngwenya is being represented by Mr Exactly Mangezi.

Kuchata is a self actor.

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

On January 1, this year, they allegedly proceeded to President Mugabe’s rural home in Zvimba where they carried out reconnaissance, identifying suitable vulnerable points to sabotage.

It is alleged that 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 during the night.

Acting on the tip-off, the 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.