Mugabe's Son In Law Court Case Faces Collapse

A key witness in the trial of former President Robert Mugabe’s son-in-law Simba Chikore refused to testify.

Philipa Magnify Philips, a Harare lawyer, wrote to prosecutors to advise them that Chikore was her client and she was constrained by a lawyer-client relationship. This resulted in magistrate Victoria Mashamba postponing the case to March 8. Mashamba warned the State that it risks losing the case if it fails to bring another witness next time.

Philips was the first person to be called by Bertha Tsitsi Zakeyo, who alleges she was illegally detained by Chikore and security guard Simbarashe Mutimbe. Zakeyo says she was illegally detained after she refused to sign papers dismissing her as Zimbabwe Airways’ company secretary.