Former president Robert Mugabe is reported to have fumed at allegations that he bribed a presidential guard soldier to ensure that he would escape during Operation Restore Legacy last year. The suggestion was made by the defence lawyer representing presidential guard Pepukai Zvakavapano, who is facing charges of stealing 119 laptop computers from Mugabe. During an inspection-in-loco, at Mugabe’s former residence, the former president said,
To escape, never use the word escape on us, we never tried to escape, why escaping? From who? Escaping from security forces that were looking after us, escape to go where? We cannot escape from our own country, we were born here, we grew up here, we struggle for the country here, we shall never go anywhere unless we are going out for medical check-ups, otherwise Zimbabwe is my home…My motorcade was never stopped for searches by the military, we were not stopped at all.
The trial continues on July 23.
More: NewsDay
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