Politics

Kombo, Kasi trial blow as court rejects couple’s bid to block tendering of affidavit exhibits

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HARARE – Spirited efforts by gospel musician Ivy Kombo and husband, Admire Kasi, to block tendering of alleged affidavits linked to the couple in their ongoing fraud trial failed on Wednesday after Harare magistrate, Feresi Chakanyuka accepted the documents as part of the evidence against them.

The British based couple is accused of illegally acquiring conversion certificates to practice law in Zimbabwe.

They are jointly charged with suspended Council for Legal Education (CLE) executive secretary Huggins Duri who was also against the decision by the State.

The exhibits were affidavits allegedly deposed at the High Court confirming Kombo and Kasi had written and passed eight modules which grant them the right to practise law in Zimbabwe.

Investigating officer Owen Mutembwa, who is one of the key witnesses in the case, had said the affidavits confirm that an offence was indeed committed.

Chakanyuka ruled in favour of the State and accepted the documents.

“The court will accept the said affidavits as exhibits as at this stage.

“The issue of relevance and authenticity the court will evaluate that at the end of the trial,” she ruled.

The trio, through their lawyers, had said the affidavits were irrelevant in this matter since the subject was centred on conversion certificates only.

“At the time the alleged documents were made, the first and second accused were not in this jurisdiction,” lawyer Admire Rubaya argued on Kombo’s behalf.

“So, they could not have signed before the commissioner of oaths Sigauke. This means that the allegation that the affidavits were made by the accused is not satisfactory.

“With respect there is no evidence these alleged documents were never in the accused possession.

“So the state has failed to prove that the accused made, or were in possession of the documents.

“The person before you is an IO. He is not saying he saw the accused making the documents. There is no oral evidence of fact.”

He added, “The alleged offence does not relate to what is alleged to have happened at the High Court hence these documents are not relevant; they cannot prove the essential elements of the offence.”

His colleague, Everson Chatambudza representing Kasi, concurred arguing that the State “should not bombard the court with documents which mean nothing.”

“The evidence the state wants to prove is inadmissible because it is irrelevant,” he said.

“We need documents which answer the question before the court.”

Chatambudza said the commissioners of oath denied any knowledge of the documents.

Tamutsa Muzana, representing Duri, also concurred.

The lawyers said the alleged author of the documents, who is the Examinations Coordinator and Research Assistant Vimbainashe Rutendo Sigauke had disowned them when she testified in court.

Giving his testimony, Mutembwa said police investigations established that there was no letter from High Court judge Sylvia Chirawu-Mugomba to confirm that Kombo and Kasi were exempted.

He said Shorai Mupunga who played a role of being a mediator between Kombo and Duri was the custodian of the certificates and would, instruct Fidelity Printers through one Edith Mandiyanike to print certificates of completion for the couple as if they wrote the exams.

Mutembwa also said Kombo filed an application for designation with CLE.

He also admitted that the application was done in 2019, way before the CLE Board of Examinations chairperson Vulindlela Bongani Sibanda who came to testify had joined the institution.

Asked how Kombo misrepresented facts to CLE, the IO said she connived with Duri to facilitate the certificates of completion at a fee.

Allegations are that Kombo and Kasi approached one Shorai Tafadzwa Mupunga, a CLE official to assist her to register and write the conversion examinations.

Sometime last year, Mupunga approached Duri, who indicated that he was able to facilitate the issuance of the conversion certificates, without writing the conversion examinations, if the couple paid US$1,100.

The two allegedly paid the money through Mupunga, who handed it to Duri, who then processed the certificates which certified that the couple had written and passed eight conversion subjects.

Kasi said there was no reason to pay anyone anything and even disputed claims that money was paid.

The two denied the allegations arguing that they had no reason to pay anyone anything as they followed legitimate procedures required by the CLE.

Kasi, in his defence, said he made an application in 2019 and in 2022, he received a letter signed by the council’s chairperson Justice Mugomba that he had been exempted from writing eight conversion examinations and directing him to make a payment which he did on October 31, 2022.

Kombo said she received the conversion certificate from the CLE, also signed by High Court judge, Mugomba.

She said she had no knowledge whether it was a product of the alleged fraud since she had gone through all the procedures for her to be issued with what she understood to be a legitimate conversion certificate.

Trial continues.

Source: ZimLive

Politics

Govt says school fees can be paid in ZiG

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THE Government has taken steps to ensure that parents can pay fees and levies in the currency of their choice, as the law demands, and that children can travel safely to their schools.

Speaking ahead of the reopening of schools tomorrow for the second term, authorities say everything is in place for the start of classes and that modalities are already in place for the June examinations.

Authorities have since directed schools to accept payment in ZiG as it is part of the acceptable basket of currencies and the police have assured parents and schoolchildren travelling back to schools countrywide that they will be out in full force to ensure the safety of learners and to avoid road carnage.

Yesterday, parents and guardians with children at boarding schools were doing their last-minute shopping in most parts of the country.

On the whole, the weekend was a hive of activity as guardians and parents were making last-minute preparations for the second term, including raising school fees and buying uniforms and other supplies such as stationery.

Bookshops, school uniform merchants and those in education-related businesses registered brisk business in Harare yesterday and expect to continue throughout this week.

Primary and Secondary Education Permanent Secretary Mr Moses Mhike said all was set for a smooth start to the second term.

“Everything is going well so far with schools set to open tomorrow. All the schools in the country are ready to open,” he said.

Zimsec is also prepared for the upcoming June examinations.

“From the conversation I had with the Zimsec board last week, almost everything is now in place for the 2024 June exams,” he said.

Meanwhile, Mr Mhike, in an interview with our sister publication The Sunday Mail, warned the minority of schools refusing ZiG as a form of payment. Private schools have mostly been refusing to accept ZiG payments, telling parents that they were still finalising consultations on ZiG payments amid fears they were planning to set the ZiG fees above the official exchange rate, fuelling the black market in the process, and undoing Government efforts to stabilise the economy.

“Therefore, school authorities are expected to abide by the pronouncement made by the RBZ in terms of the new currency that has been introduced,” he said.

“It is not a matter of choice, but to simply accept ZiG as legal tender, which is amongst the basket of other currencies.

“Therefore, as usual, schools are expected to provide to parents and guardians all the payment modalities, like payment in cash, online transfers and swipe.”

“The ministry will be working with other Government agencies, including, ZACC (Zimbabwe Anti Corruption Commission), FIU (Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe’s Financial Intelligence Unit), the police, as well as our school inspectors to ensure compliance with the use of the multi-currency system,” he said.

“Any school heads who defy this directive will have disciplinary measures taken against them.”

Parents, who also spoke to The Herald, said Government should ensure that schools accept payment in ZiG.

Mr Thomas Dande, a parent, said he had made adequate preparations for the second term for his kids.

“It is a sad reality that whenever a term ends, preparations for the next time must commence immediately. I paid fees for my two children and made all necessary preparations,” he said.

Mrs Kudzai Chigubu, who has a child at Nkululeku High School, said so far, the preparations have been smooth.

Another parent Joseph Mutungura said there was need for police to be deployed to ensure that schools accept all forms of payment.

Police in conjunction with various stakeholders, including the Traffic Safety Council of Zimbabwe (TSCZ) will be manning roadblocks and conducting awareness campaigns along the major roads.

Public service vehicles and motorists have since been urged to avoid overloading, speeding, and disregarding traffic rules and regulations. – Herald

Politics

Israeli authorities raid Al Jazeera after shutdown order

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JERUSALEM/DOHA,- Israeli authorities raided a Jerusalem hotel room used by Al Jazeera as its office after the government decided to shut down the Qatari-owned TV station’s local operations on Sunday, an Israeli official and an Al Jazeera source told Reuters.

Video circulated online showed plainclothes officers dismantling camera equipment in a hotel room, which the Al Jazeera source said was in East Jerusalem.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s cabinet shut down the network for as long as the war in Gaza continues, saying it threatened national security.

Al Jazeera said the move was a “criminal action” and the accusation that the network threatened Israeli security was a “dangerous and ridiculous lie” that put its journalists at risk.

It reserved the right to “pursue every legal step”.

The network has criticised Israel’s military operation in Gaza, from where it has reported throughout the war.

“The incitement channel Al Jazeera will be closed in Israel,” Netanyahu posted on social media following a unanimous cabinet vote.

A government statement said Israel’s communications minister signed orders to “act immediately”, but at least one lawmaker who supported the closure said Al Jazeera could still try to block it in court.

The measure, the statement said, includes closing Al Jazeera’s offices in Israel, confiscating broadcast equipment, cutting off the channel from cable and satellite companies and blocking its websites. It did not mention Al Jazeera’s Gaza operations.

Israeli satellite and cable television providers suspended Al Jazeera broadcasts following the government decision.

A man maneuvers media equipment following an Israeli police raid on an Al Jazeera de facto office at the Ambassador Hotel in Jerusalem

There was no official comment from the Qatari government, which deferred to Al Jazeera.

The network last month complained of “a series of systematic Israeli attacks to silence Al Jazeera”.

It said Israel deliberately targeted and killed several of its journalists, including Samer Abu Daqqa and Hamza AlDahdooh, both killed in Gaza during the conflict. Israel has said it does not target journalists.

Qatar established Al Jazeera in 1996 and views it as a way to bolster its global profile.

“Al Jazeera Media Network strongly condemns and denounces this criminal act that violates human rights and the basic right to access of information,” the network said in a statement. “Al Jazeera affirms its right to continue to provide news and information to its global audiences.”

The UN Human Rights Office also criticised the closure.

“We regret cabinet decision to close Al Jazeera in Israel,” it said on X. “A free & independent media is essential to ensuring transparency & accountability. Now, even more so given tight restrictions on reporting from Gaza. Freedom of expression is a key human right. We urge govt to overturn ban.”

Israel’s parliament last month ratified a law allowing the temporary closure in Israel of foreign broadcasters considered to be a threat to national security.

The law allows Netanyahu and his security cabinet to shut the network’s offices in Israel for 45 days, a period that can be renewed, so it could stay in force until the end of July or until the end of major military operations in Gaza.

Qatar, where several Hamas political leaders are based, is trying to mediate a ceasefire and hostage release deal that could halt the Gaza war.

Source: Reuters

Politics

Madonna attracts 1.6 million to free concert at Brazil’s Copacabana beach

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RIO DE JANEIRO,- More than a million people thronged Brazil’s Copacabana beach for a free Madonna concert on Saturday, braving the heat to see the end of her “Celebration” world tour.

The sand and oceanfront boulevard around Rio de Janeiro’s famed beach were filled for several blocks by a crowd the city estimated at 1.6 million.
Many had been there for hours or even days to get a good spot, while richer fans anchored in dozens of boats near the beach and onlookers crowded beachfront apartments.

Firefighters sprayed water before the concert, when temperatures exceeded 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit), to cool fans gathered near the pop queen’s stage, and drinking water was distributed for free. Temperatures were around 27 C (81 F) during the late night show.

Madonna performs in the final show of her The Celebration Tour, on Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Saturday, May 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo)

Madonna, 65, performed songs such as “Like a Prayer”, “Vogue” and “Express Yourself” for over two hours from 10:45 p.m. (0145 GMT on Sunday) as she wound up the greatest hits tour that started late last year.

Madonna’s concert at Copacabana beach, in Rio de Janeiro

“Rio, here we are, in the most beautiful place in the world, with the ocean, the mountains, Jesus,” Madonna told the crowd, referring to the city’s huge mountaintop Christ the Redeemer statue. “Magic.”

Brazilian pop artists Anitta and Pabllo Vittar, as well as younger musicians from samba schools, participated in the show.

Madonna performs in the final show of her The Celebration Tour, on Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Saturday, May 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo)

More than 3,000 police officers were deployed around the concert area, where the Rolling Stones and Rod Stewart have also drawn million-strong crowds. The authorities used a crowd-management strategy similar to their handling of the city’s famous New Year’s Eve celebrations.

Brazilian authorities have stepped up their vigilance over heat-related health problems after a young Brazilian fan died at a concert by Taylor Swift last year due to heat exhaustion.

Rio’s state and city governments said they spent 20 million reais ($3.9 million) on the concert, while the rest was financed by private sponsors. The authorities estimate the concert could bring about 300 million reais to Rio’s economy.

Source: Reuters