A Bulawayo magistrate stationed at the Tredgold Magistrates’ Court, Evia Matura (47), has been suspended indefinitely after being charged with criminal abuse of office in connection with a high-profile fraud case involving former Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) MP Obert Manduna.
Matura appeared before Regional Magistrate Mark Dzira on Saturday, facing charges under Section 174 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act [Chapter 9:23].
She was granted US$200 bail and ordered to report to the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) every two weeks.
As part of her bail conditions, she is barred from contacting witnesses, must reside at her listed address, and is prohibited from entering the Tredgold Magistrates’ Court until the matter is resolved.
The charges stem from her alleged unlawful decision to release Manduna from custody on July 2, despite having denied him bail on June 25.
The State contends that no new bail application had been filed, nor had there been any change in circumstances, High Court directive, or bail receipt, all of which are required for reconsidering bail under such conditions.
It is alleged that Matura knowingly acted outside proper judicial procedure to grant Manduna an irregular release, thereby showing him undue favour.
Manduna is facing fraud charges related to a residential stand deal that allegedly took place between October 2020 and February 2022.
He is accused of using a forged Power of Attorney to defraud a woman, Sithulisiwe Sibanda, of nearly US$6,000 by falsely claiming to have authority to sell Stand Number 7278 in Cowdray Park, Bulawayo.
According to the State, Manduna misrepresented himself as having the mandate from the stand’s original owner, Bernard Mujuru, to sell the property for US$6,500.
However, the Bulawayo City Council had already repossessed the stand, and Mujuru had not authorised the sale.
By the time Sibanda discovered the fraud, she had already paid US$5,900 which remains unrecovered.
Prosecutor Samuel Mpofu told the court that Manduna had previously evaded ZACC investigations and posed a flight risk.
More: The Herald
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