
The former Cabinet minister’s passport was seized last
month and handed back to the Harare Magistrates Courts under unclear
circumstances. Chombo was about to check-in into- a South African-bound Fastjet
airline when the passport was seized.
In his affidavit through his lawyer, Lovemore Madhuku,
Chombo said his earlier application to the High Court was dismissed by Justice
Nyaradzo Priscilla Munangati-Manongwa despite the fact that she did not make a
determination that his travel document was unlawfully taken away from him.
Justice Munangati-Manongwa ordered Chombo to go back to the
lower court and exhaust all alternative remedies, including filing for contempt
of court charges against the clerk of court who is alleged to have refused to release his passport
despite an extant order.
“As the judgment of the court aquo (High Court) makes it
clear, there is no factual dispute regarding the following; that the passport
was unlawfully taken away from me (Chombo) by a State agent; that it was handed
back to the first respondent (clerk of court) and that the first respondent is
refusing to release it to me in accordance with the order of May 10, 2019,” he
said.
The former minister further said he was now worried that if
the passport was not released on time, he would miss his medical review dates
and above all, the date upon which the court ordered the return of the same
passport would be due with him not having utilised it.
“If my appeal is heard urgently before June 21, 2019 and it
succeeds, I will be able to utilise the remaining days before June 21, 2019 and
have very useful medical reviews. My failure to travel for medical treatment is
causing me a great deal of mental and physical pain,” Chombo said.
“I fear for my health. I feel it every day that is passing
that my health is deteriorating. At my age, these routine medical reviews are a
source of strength.” The matter is pending. Newsday
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