High Court Defers Former Police Boss Chihuri's US$32 Million Corruption Case

High Court judge, Justice Pisirayi Kwenda, has deferred to March 24, the case in which former police Commissioner-General Augustine Chihuri is accused of diverting US$32 million of public funds into family companies.

This follows a request by one Erina Muchingami to be joined to the proceedings. Said Chief law officer Chris Mutangadura appearing for the state:

Muchingami bought one of the properties from Chihuri and is claiming her rights to one of the properties under litigation.

This becomes the fourth time the case has been postponed since the time it was first set down for hearing.

The matter spilt into the courts after the then prosecutor-general, Kumbirai Hodzi checked with the deeds office and established the rushed disposal of assets by the Chihuris.

Chihuri is alleged to have sold five properties between 2017 and 2018 after his departure from the police force resulting in Hodzi being granted powers to freeze Chihuri’s properties and assets.

The state alleges that:

a). on July 17, 2018, Chihuri’s wife, Isobel Halima Khan Chihuri sold stand 1421 Gletwyn Township to Brian Chijaka for US$130 000.

b). her brother Aitken Khan had her power of attorney to make the transaction.

c). on March 21, 2018, Khan sold 8 St Aubin’s Chisipite in Harare on behalf of Chihuri’s daughter Samantha to Erinah Muchingami for US$365 000. 

The state wants Chihuri to explain how the five properties that were part of the family’s large property portfolio were sold despite that they had been placed under the Asset Management Unit.

Chihuri is contesting court orders allowing the State to forfeit his properties.

The State seeks to freeze Chihuri’s companies and the properties, which his family acquired during his time in office pending the final outcome of possible criminal investigations.

More: NewZimbabwe.com