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Tendai Rupapa Senior Court Reporter
The trial of former Energy and Power Development Minister Samuel Undenge, who is accused of prejudicing Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) of $12 650, failed to start yesterday after the State sought a postponement. The matter will now be heard on May 15. Undenge appeared before Harare regional magistrate Mr Hoseah Mujaya for commencement of trial.

Appearing for the State, Mr Jonathan Murombedzi sought postponement of the trial, saying ZPC’s managing director Mr Noah Gwariro, a key witness in the trial, was ill and unfit to attend court.
He said Mr Gwariro recently sustained injuries in a road traffic accident and was unable to walk.

Initially, Mr Murombedzi made an application to have the matter remanded to May 4 for trial, saying the ZPC MD was likely to attend trial in a wheelchair. However, Undenge’s lawyer Mr Alec Muchadehama opposed the State’s application, arguing that he would be engaged at the High Court on the proposed date.

He insisted the State should call another witness since his client was ready for trial. Mr Muchadehama, who submitted that the State was not ready for trial, also successfully applied to have his client’s reporting conditions scrapped. Both parties later set May 15 as the new trial date. Undenge is accused of fraudulently awarding a public relations company, Fruitful Communications, a contract in 2016 without going to tender, in the process prejudicing the State of $12 650.