The Sunday News
ENVIRONMENT, Water and Climate Minister Cde Saviour Kasukuwere, yesterday met police investigating the Baba Jukwa case after being subpoenaed last Friday. He described the meeting as testimony to the fact that “the rule of law is alive and well in our constitutional democracy”.
In a statement issued yesterday evening, Cde Kasukuwere said he tendered a sworn affidavit at the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) headquarters in Harare which will assist the police with their investigations.
“This is to confirm that today Saturday July 26, 2014 I had audience with members of the ZRP team that is investigating the Baba Jukwa case at the CID Headquarters in Harare during which I tendered a sworn affidavit. This was pursuant to a subpoena extended to me yesterday by the investigating team. While I am unable to divulge the content or substance of the exchange of information that took place between me and the investigating team given that the matter in question is before the courts, I can nevertheless say that the exchange was professional, cordial and mutually respectful within the confines of the law,” Cde Kasukuwere said.
“I left the CID Headquarters with a very strong and satisfying reaffirmation of the fact that the rule of law is alive and well in our constitutional democracy.”
Cde Kasukuwere’s subpoena comes after Information, Media and Broadcasting Services Minister Professor Jonathan Moyo’s meeting last week with police investigating the case to help them in their investigations by submitting clarifications on issues to do with the case.
On Friday last week police also questioned a senior army official and one of the designers of the Hovhorosi Style dress code, Herbert Huruba, in connection with the Baba Jukwa saga, as investigations into the case continue.
Police chief spokesperson Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba said she was yet to be furnished with details on Cde Kasukuwere’s visit.
Although Cde Kasukuwere said he was not at liberty to provide details of his meeting with the police, investigations could be in line with allegations by Sunday Mail editor Edmund Kudzayi, who is accused of being behind the faceless Facebook character, that he became aware of the Baba Jukwa issue when Cde Kasukuwere called him as an IT expert to assess and make an overview of information supplied by an Australian-based hacker only identified as Kennedy.
Following his meeting with the police who had asked him to help them in investigating the case, Prof Moyo said it was evident that no-one was above the law.
“If there is any lesson from this, it is that nobody is above or outside the law and that all of us must always and everywhere submit ourselves, and by that I mean our actions, to the rule of law in accordance with our Constitution,” he said.
Kudzayi and his brother Phillip have since appeared in court accused of attempting to subvert a constitutionally-elected Government and undermining the authority of the President.
They are both out on bail with stringent conditions.
The Jukwa saga has sucked in 13 suspects with police last week saying they were looking for the 13th suspect connected to the faceless Facebook character.
The 13th suspect, identified as one Chawarika Matongorere, who is based in South Africa is accused of sourcing funds and posting subversive material on the Baba Jukwa page.
The other suspects are Wilf and Trish Mbanga, publishers of The Zimbabwean newspaper who are based in the UK; as well as the weekly newspaper’s South Africa correspondent, Mxolisi Ncube; UK-based computer programmer Samson Chifamba; UK-based systems and software engineer Walter Shoko; George Chirakasha, a Zimbabwean resident in the UK, as well as Anomie Drew, Piniel Nhokodi, Romeo Musemburi and Sarudzai Florence.
