Zanu-PF Youth League Leader Has Been A Fugitive Since 2015 Says Investigating Officer

The Zimbabwe Republic Police has claimed that disgraced former Zanu-PF National Political Commissar, Innocent Hamandishe has been a fugitive from justice since December 2015. This is despite the fact, that Hamandishe as one of the Youth League leaders was always visible in the media as one of the organisers of the Million Man March and the Youth Interface Rallies. Hamandishe also accompanied former President Robert Mugabe on these rallies and used to sit close to him. Hamandishe is facing six counts of kidnapping and a charge of publishing a false statement. He will be back in court on December 8, 2017.

The information that Hamandishe has been on the run since 2015 was revealed by Lovemore Chifamba, the Investigating Officer for Hamandishe’s case. In opposing bail Chifamba claimed that Hamandishe would abscond as he has been on the run since 2015. He also claimed that Hamandishe needed to be incarcerated for his own safety, to protect him from angry members of the public. Said Chifamba in his affidavit:

I strongly oppose bail on the following reasons-

b) The accused has been on the run since December 2015 and if granted bail he is likely to abscond

b) There are a number of witnesses to be located by the police who are known by the accused hence if granted bail he is likely to interfere with them. Some of them were (are) his subordinates in the party Accused and all the witnesses stay in the same locality

c) The accused is of ill temper who hides behind his party position and is likely to continue committing crimes of a similar nature if granted bail

d) Evidence gathered against the accused so far is overwhelming such that chances of being convicted are high. Due to the strength of the state case, the accused is likely to abscond and not stand trial thereby jeopardising the interests of justice.The accused faces a very serious offence where there is a likely hood of conviction and a lengthy incarceration which might induce him to abscond and not stand trial if admitted to bail thereby jeopardizing the interest of justice. Members of the public have boiling anger against the accused and if granted bail, they are likely to mete instant mob malice against him and his safety would not be guaranteed

I make the above statement solemnly and conscientiously believing the same to be true