Harare business man, Wicknell Munodani Chivhayo’s case yesterday took a new twist after the state notified the courts of plans to amend his charges.
Chivhayo who appeared before Harare Magistrate Estere Chivasa is accused of swindling the Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) of over $5 million, money laundering and violating Exchange Control Regulations
The state represented by Zivanai Macharaga and Venaranda Munyoro gave notice to amend Chivhayo’s charges but his lawyer, Advocate Lewis Uriri opposed the move saying once charges are laid to the accused person, they cannot be altered.
“According to section 170 (3), the state is only allowed to amend charges before they are put to the accused person. Once the charges are put to the accused person, it means the accused person is to plead to those charges without amendment by the state,” said Advocate Uriri.
Early this year, Chivhayo appeared before the parliamentary committee on mines and energy over the same issue.
The matter was deferred to the 23rd of October for determination.
