The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has scurried from prosecuting Chantelle Muteswa, Frank Buyanga’s estranged lover, who sought Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) to interfere in a case in which she alleged that she was being wrongfully charged.
In a letter dated July 23, Muteswe filed complaints against members of the Judicial Services Commission (JSC) who according to her were favoring Buyanga in the court of law and buying court rulings in his favor.
Today when she appeared before Harare magistrate Vongai Muchuchuti for continuation of the matter, the State led by Idah Maromo made an application for the matter to be removed from remand indefinitely pending finalisation of investigations, as the State is not ready to proceed.
Muteswa was removed from remand.
Allegations are that Buyanga caused Muteswa to be arrested and arraigned before magistrate Barbra Mateko facing charges of refusing to release the minor’s passport so the father, Buyanga could travel with him to South Africa over the holidays.
According to the State papers, Muteswa was supposed to hand over the child to Buyanga as well as the passport instead she handed over the passport to her lawyer, Munyaradzi Bwanya of Wilmot and Bennett legal practitioners.
Muteswa wrote to ZACC chair, Justice Loice Matanda-Moyo to intervene and save her from her estranged lover, Buyanga who is alleged to be flaunting monies in the right place to influence the course of justice.
In the letter directed to Zacc chair Loice Matanda-Moyo, Muteswe made an official complaint against magistrate Never Gwatidzo who according to her was favoring Buyanga in the court of law and buying court rulings in his favor.
“Gwatidzo, being a judicial officer, (and therefore a public officer in terms of Section 169) has no authority to overturn the decision of another magistrate of parallel jurisdiction, he purported to do so, contrary and inconsistent with his constitutional duties to act lawfully and fairly as he corruptly issued a ruling in favour of Buyanga Sadiqi in a custody matter between the said Sadiqi and myself,” reads her letter.
“On the 19th July 2019, Mr Gwatidzo, being in possession of a file case number CCA205A/18 in which the order of another magistrate of similar authority was contained proceeded to “overturn” the decision of that magistrate giving sole custody of the minor child to myself.
“On the basis of that order Mr Sadiqi has detained my four (4) year old son from me since 21st July 2019 and through his disfavor to me, put me through the otherwise unnecessary but expensive need to approach the High Court for the return of my son in case number HC6037/19.”
Muteswa has had to put up a fight against Buyanga who has the financial muscles to get people in his camp and get him desirable results.
The letter about Gwatidzo was not a first as she also had to complain against prosecutor Jonathan Murombedzi who had also taken the side of Buyanga, the Zim Morning post has learnt.
