Magombeyi went to all-night prayer, hospital memo reveals
Kudakwashe Mugari Deputy News Editor
Missing Harare doctor Peter Magombeyi bade his house-mate farewell and told him to lock up the door since he was going for an all-night prayer, an internal hospital memo has exposed.
According to a Harare Central Hospital internal memorandum dated September 16, 2019 and addressed to the chief executive officer Dr Tinashe Dhobbie by the Human Resources Department, Dr Magombeyi left home intentionally.
“On the 15th of September 2019, we visited Dr Magombeyi’s residence on number 2915 Budiriro 2, Harare. On our way, we passed through Budiriro Police Station where Dr Jena, his house mate was reporting the case. From there went to their house where Dr Jena showed us Dr Magombeyi’s bedroom. On the bed there was laptop and clothes Dr Magombeyi had removed that night,’’ reads the memo.
“Dr Jena told us that the last time he spoke to Dr Magombeyi was the previous night and Dr Magombeyi said that he was going out for an all-night prayer. He also instructed Dr Jena to lock the door since he was not coming back,’’ reads the memo.
Dr Dhobbie last night refused to comment over the phone.
“I haven’t met you and I don’t know you, so I can’t give you the comment,’’ said Dr Dhobhie.
News of Dr Magombeyi’s alleged abduction and disappearance last Friday has been spreading, with opposition and civil society blaming it on State agents.
There has been a series of such abductions lately, which have strongly been suspected to be either staged for publicity purposes or directed by some agents to besmirch the image of Zimbabwean Government ahead of regional and international forums such as Sadc summit and the forthcoming United Nations General Assembly meeting to be held in New York, United States.
Typically, the United States Embassy in Harare, strongly believed to have a hand in “black operations” to justify continued interference in Zimbabwe’s internal affairs, yesterday waded in, accusing Government of being behind the spate of alleged abductions totalling 50 since the beginning of the year.
But details emerged yesterday in a confidential memo released to The Herald that Dr Magombeyi may have left his house in the high density suburb of Budiriro, voluntarily.
The Zimbabwe Republic Police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said they were investigating the case after receiving the complaint.
Speaking to The Herald yesterday, Deputy Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet in charge of Presidential Communications Mr George Charamba said the recent alleged abductions were choreographed ahead of the President’s United Nations General Assembly meeting and the maiden visit of a UN Special Rapporteur who is due to arrive in the country today. ‘
‘This is a characteristic propaganda stunt by the opposition and its supporters. They are aware that UN Special Rapporteur Clément Nyaletsossi Voule is visiting the country, paying his maiden visit after a long hiatus,” said Mr Charamba.
“As you are aware until now under the First Republic, the Zimbabwe Government would refuse to entertain such a personage.
“The opposition thinks it can draw his attention through such propaganda stunts,” said Mr Charamba
UN Special Rapporteur Clément Nyaletsossi Voule will visit Zimbabwe to assess the country’s achievements and challenges in relation to the exercise of the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association in the country.
This is the first official visit by an independent human rights expert, appointed by the Human Rights Council, to Zimbabwe.
The Special Rapporteur, who is visiting at the invitation of the Government, will meet with Government officials, representatives of the Judiciary, Legislature, independent institutions and civil society.
He will also meet members of the international community including UN officials.
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