VICE-PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa’s ally, Energy Mutodi, has been
granted $200 bail and remanded to September 14 in a matter where he is
accused of posting false statements on his Facebook page insinuating two
Cabinet ministers were behind President Robert Mugabe’s deputy’s
alleged poisoning.
In a Facebook post, Mutodi alleged Defence minister Sydney
Sekeramayi and Health minister David Parirenyatwa were behind Mnangagwa’s
alleged poisoning at a Zanu PF campaign rally in Gwanda three weeks ago.
The State had initially opposed Mutodi’s bail bid, saying
police wanted to take him for indications to identify the plane used to
transport Mnangagwa, Parirenyatwa and Sekeramayi to Gwanda.
Police also wanted Mutodi to positively identify the people
who served the top government officials with samoosas, grapes and sandwiches
inside the air force plane.
But Mutodi’s lawyer, Beatrice Mtetwa, told the court that
her client did not commit any offence against the State, but arguably against
Sekeramayi and Parirenyatwa in their individual capacities.
“If the ministers are aggrieved, they should follow the
channels and report the matter,” she argued.
“This is a deliberate attempt and abuse of criminal justice
by the police and Prosecutor-General’s Office, who clearly align themselves
with Zanu PF factions.
“This has nothing to do with criminal law.
“Someone insulted former Vice-President Joice Mujuru saying
she went to Nigeria to look for witches to kill someone, but no one was
arrested for saying that,” she said in obvious reference to Mugabe. Newsday
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