Glenview 29 Update: Tainted evidence admitted in court….
Written by Administrator Friday, 15 June 2012 13:20
There was more conflicting testimony at the High court yesterday, 14th of June 2012, as the Glenview 29 sat through their murder trial. The prosecution’s witness, Assistant Inspector Spencer Nyararari, took to the stand to give his obviously rehearsed account of the events leading to the death of Constable Petros Chitedza in May 2011.
In a mumbled account Constable Nyararai identified 2 of the accused, Yvonne Musarurwa and Tungamirai Madzokere by name. When asked how he knew Yvonne Musarurwa, Nyararai told the court that he had seen her at other MDC associated meetings, but when he from the police intelligence.
The state prosecutor, Edmore Nyazamba, presented 2 stones and half a brick to the court to be admitted as evidence which Assistant Inspector Spencer Nyararai identified as the stones used to assault the deceased. Upon further questioning he said he had been told by a witness, whose name he did not write down, that they were the stones used as he did not witness the actual stone throwing. However on cross examination he told the court that there were no civilians around when he got to the scene except for one man by the name Edgar Chihota, who brought cold water in order to help the now deceased. The stones in question were, according to Nyararai, left at the scene of the alleged crime and only collected the next day, which in itself shows that there is tainted evidence as the proper chain of evidence was never carried out.
In another questionable statement, Nyararai, told the court that he found Constable Petros Chitedza’s police radio in pieces next to him and picked it up himself and took it with him contrary to Wednesday’s account by Constable Victor Magutarima, who said the radio was given to him by a child who was present at the scene. Assistant Inspector Spencer Nyararai seemed to be riding on a lot of supposition and assumptions and continuously contradicted his own statements as well as those of the other state witnesses. Up to this point no witness has actually given evidence placing the fatal rock in the hands of any of the accused.
The Glenview 29 remain in custody as the trial resumes on Monday 18 June 2012 at 1000hrs at the High Court of Zimbabwe.