ADDRESSING a press conference on Thursday last week, Home
Affairs and Cultural Heritage Minister Kazembe Kazembe revealed that the
vehicle driven by MDC-T Harare West legislator Joanna Mamombe during an alleged
abduction did not belong to her.
“While Joana Mamombe claims to have been driving her own
vehicle, Mercedes Benz, silver in colour, registration number AFE 9222, checks
with Central Vehicle Registry records show that the current owner of the
vehicle sold it to one Andrew Manongore in January 2020, who is yet to complete
change of ownership formalities into his own name,” said Minister Kazembe.
“There are emerging unsavoury social connotations relating
to this ownership which we opt to leave out for another day.”
Following this development, The Sunday Mail tracked down
the owner of the car, who revealed in an interview that he was in a
romantic relationship with Mamombe since January this year and she had borrowed
his car on the day in question.
Apparently he is also a flamboyant businessman and Zanu PF
supporter.
Manongore confirmed ownership of the car identified as the
one Mamombe was driving on the day of her “abduction” together with two other
MDC-T members.
Manongore (34), who lives in Chisipite, said Mamombe had
free access at any time to his fleet of cars but in this instance, he was
shocked when pictures surfaced on social media as he was not aware that the car
had been used in “riminal activities”.
“She is my girlfriend. We started dating in January this
year. I spend a lot of time with her; she drives any of my cars, although she
prefers the Benz in question,” he said.
Manongore said he was still seeking answers on the trio’s
disappearance and re-appearance and the involvement of his vehicle in a
criminal investigation.
“I am still wondering what happened. I cannot talk to her
because she does not have a phone. I tried reaching out to her but I cannot go
to the hospital because people from her party may be hostile towards me. Right
now we are talking through intermediaries and family members,” he said.
He added that he was in no hurry to retrieve the car as it
has potential to help police officers make sense of the confusing situation.
“Joanna was not mobile during that time, she had left her
Toyota Fortuner in Masvingo and was using my cars to move around. I am more
worried about her than the car at this point.”
Asked if Mamombe had expressed any concern regarding her
safety prior to the alleged abduction, Manongore said: “When I was speaking to
her mother and friends, they said she was afraid factional issues in her party
could turn nasty.
“When we started dating, I was hearing of a guy called
Mfundo from civil society. Joanna told me he is from her past but I am shocked
to see him being visible since this alleged abduction happened. There were days
he was always at the hospital and I do not know why that was the case.
“He is said to be a dubious character who can do anything
for money. I am suspecting that this guy could have influenced my girlfriend to
engage in demonstrations during a pandemic. Although we support different
political parties, we have not had a problem until now and I am sure some other
forces misled her.”
Two other MDC-T youth members — Netsai Marowa and Cecilia
Chimbiri — disappeared together with Mamombe for a few days under unclear
circumstances after an illegal flash demo in Warren Park on May 13, 2020.
Investigations into what transpired are still ongoing as the trio allege that
they were abducted after being arrested by the police.
In recent months, the MDC has been rocked by vicious
infighting, with different groupings battling to control Harvest House and
funds disbursed under the Political Parties Finance Act.
Investigations show that the three women actually remained
in Harare long after the time they claim they had been thrown into a four-metre
deep pit.
This evidence shows that the three converged somewhere in
Harare in the morning of May 13 2020, drove along Samora Machel Avenue to
Warren Park, where they spent just under two hours most probably participating
in the demonstration, and then drove back together to Harare CBD via Rugare,
Lochinvar and Harare Kopje.
The evidence does not place any of them on Samora Machel
Avenue between Warren Park and Harare CBD or at either of the two roadblocks at
National Sports Stadium and the Harare Showgrounds where they claim to have
been abducted.
The evidence also places the trio somewhere in the Kopje
area before they moved to the vicinity of Advocates Chambers in Old Mutual
Building, where Chamisa’s priate offices are incidentally located.
They spent substantial unexplained time in both locations.
From Advocates Chambers they moved to Chimbiri’s
residence in the avenues area. From
there, Joana Mamombe is traced to Golden Stairs in the vicinity of Ashbrittle
Service Station around 4.07pm hours then to Belgravia an hour later, back to
the Kopje area around 9.39pm, then back to Chimbiri’s flat around 9.40 pm.
These movements are taking place long after they claimed to
have been abducted and after they also claimed to have left their phones in
Mamombe’s parked and locked car. Netsai Marova also moved around quite
traceably, but separate from the other two, for a while, way after her alleged
abduction. Sunday Mail
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