GRACE DOCTORATE AUTHENTIC, NOT WITHDRAWN, SAYS NYAGURA

FORMER University of Zimbabwe vice chancellor Levi Nyagura, who is accused of illegally awarding a doctorate degree to former first lady Grace Mugabe, has denied the allegations, arguing that the conferment was lawful.

His trial opened last Thursday before chief magistrate Munamato Mutevedzi, with Nyagura, through his lawyers, telling the court the granting of the degree was above board.

Nyagura argued that the university has not yet cancelled the degree or withdrawn it, a sign that everything was lawful.

“The accused strongly denies any unlawful act or illicit intent in any of his actions or inactions as regards a doctorate to Ntombizodwa Grace Marufu.

“In fact the university to date has neither withdrawn, cancelled nor disowned the degree conferred to Ntombizodwa Grace Marufu, which is, therefore, proof of the fact that the degree is authentic and deserved,” he argued.

Nyagura said he had no role in how the former first lady ended up at the institution and had no interference with the department that conferred her with a doctorate degree.

“The conferment of a degree to Ntombizodwa Grace Marufu is an act occasioned by the relevant functionaries who acted within the discretion afforded to them.

“To the accused’s knowledge the conferment of the qualification was done lawfully and in accordance with the latitudes afforded such functionaries,” his lawyer Tawanda Zhuwarara argued.

 “Accused person did not solicit for or occasion the acceptance of Ntombizodwa Grace Marufu’s application for admission for postgraduate studies at the University of Zimbabwe.

“By virtue of the accused’s previous position as vice chancellor of the University of Zimbabwe, such accused did not participate, influence or interfere in the interaction of Ntombizodwa Grace Marufu and the department of sociology and has no direct information as to how the relationship progressed,” he argued. Daily News

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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