Judge to Make Ruling on Anglican Church Properties Next Week

HARARE —  The High Court says it will pass judgement next week in a case in which excommunicated bishop Nolbert Kunonga is seeking to reverse his faction’s eviction from the Anglican Cathedral and other church properties countrywide.

Kunonga was thrown out of the cathedral last week by the deputy sheriff following a Supreme Court ruling declaring that the Zanu PF-aligned defrocked bishop was not entitled to the church’s property after he formed his own church following his excommunication five years ago.

Justice George Chiweshe said he needed time to consider submissions made by lawyers representing Kunonga as well as Bishop Chad Gandiya’s attorneys on preliminary issues.

One of Kunonga’s lawyers, Jonathan Samkange, confirmed what the judge said in chambers, adding that Kunonga’s faction should not have been evicted in the first place.

In court papers, Kunonga argues that the Anglican saga should be treated in the same way as the government’s indigenization program and the chaotic fast-track land reforms started in 2000 by Zanu PF.

But Gandiya still believes that Kunonga should not be entertained following his excommunication by the Church of the Province of Central Africa.

In another High Court matter Wednesday, the trial judge in the case of 29 Movement for Democratic Change activists accused of killing a police officer in Harare’s Glen View high density suburb last year, reserved his judgment indefinitely following a bail application made by 26 of the activists still in remand prison.

Judge Chinembiri Bhunu did not say when he will deliver his ruling, which if not made by Friday, will leave the accused behind bars over the Christmas holidays.

Defense lawyers said there was no concrete evidence so far linking the accused person to the commission of the offence.

Report By Thomas Chiripasi

In a related development, the Movement for Democratics Change (MDC) of Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai alleges that three of its activists -Tichaona Gombingo, Christon Banda and Masimba Madommbwe - were abducted in Chegutu on Tuesday by well-known Zanu PF members.

Meanwhile, Elisha Kanyama, a member of Mr. Tsvangirai’s MDC, was reportedly found dead late Sunday evening after visiting a local Zengeza pub with his brother-in-law. The cause of his death is still unknown.

The party’s provincial chairperson for Chitungwiza and Zengeza East lawmaker, Alexio Musundire, confirmed the death saying investigations are in progress.

He told VOA Studio 7 that Kanyama had visited the bar in the company of Zengeza 3 lawmaker Collen Gwiyo.

Reports say he later went home but returned to the pub for unspecified reasons.

Kanyama’s family told Newsday newspaper that they suspect he was murdered for political reasons.

Studio 7 was not able to get a comment from Chitungwiza police.