BY HARRIET CHIKANDIWA THE High Court has deferred Harare mayor Jacob Mafume’s bail hearing to today to allow the State to prepare its response. Mafume is facing allegations of obstructing or defeating the course of justice after he allegedly attempted to bribe a witness. He was arrested for the offence four days after he had been released on $30 000 bail at the High Court. As part of the bail conditions, Mafume was ordered not to interfere with witnesses. Mafume allegedly offered to pay US$1 500 to Edgar Dzehonye, a key witness in the case in which he is being accused of parcelling out land, so that he testifies in his favour in court. The State alleges that Mafume violated his bail conditions and contacted Dzehonye, through a WhatsApp voice call, requesting to meet him and discuss his criminal case before the courts. Meanwhile, Local Government minister July Moyo has reportedly suspended Jacob Mafume and his deputy Luckson Mukunguma with immediate effect until the conclusion of their court cases. Mukunguma is currently out on bail after he was arrested following a manhunt by the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc). Zacc is investigating cases of alleged abuse of office. It is alleged that he abused his office when he forced council to create and allocate four residential stands to his relatives namely Juliet Tipedze, Melody Magorimbo, Edith Chiota and Kerrington Ndimba in Highfields, ward five.
