CHOMBO, A FREE MAN

The High Court granted former Finance minister Ignatius Chombo an order for an indefinite stay of his prosecution. Chombo is facing a plethora of criminal cases involving corruption, fraud and criminal nuisance.


Justice Charles Hungwe’s order came after Chombo had filed an urgent application seeking permanent stay of his trial, citing infringement of his constitutional rights.

“The criminal prosecution of the applicant (Chombo) be and is hereby postponed sine die until the determination of HC6515/18,” reads part of the ruling.

Chombo, who was represented by Lovemore Madhuku when he appeared before Harare provincial magistrate Lazini Ncube, had successfully applied for the postponement of the case to August 2 pending the High Court determination on his urgent application.

In the High Court matter, Chombo said he wanted the court to determine whether or not the state, during his arrest, did not violate his constitutional rights when he was allegedly abducted by its agents, blind-folded for nine days and subjected to torture and other forms of inhumane and degrading treatment.

Chombo said his lawyer had written to the prosecutor-general, Ray Goba, advising him of the need to postpone the trial. However, Goba had insisted that the trial should proceed despite the pending High Court application.