BULAWAYO – A warrant of arrest has been issued against Zanu-PF politburo member, Joshua Malinga, after he failed to appear in court last week. Malinga was scheduled to go on trial on Friday at the Bulawayo magistrates’ courts in a case in which he faces charges of undermining police authority.

He was found to have defaulted after magistrate Sithembiso Nyoni called his name three times in court to no avail. She immediately issued a warrant for his arrest.

When The Zimbabwe Times contacted Malinga’s lawyer Job Sibanda of Sibanda and Associates Tuesday on his client’s failure to attend court, he said Malinga who is a former Mayor of Bulawayo Mayor was in Harare where he was attending a constitutional select committee training workshop.

“My client failed to attend court since he is in Harare where is attending a training workshop on the constitution-making process. I have already advised the state prosecutors about that, although they refused to cancel the warrant of arrest,” said Sibanda.

Allegations against Malinga are that on February 11 last year, at around 10 am, Constable Raphael Somerayi was on duty manning the reception at the High Court in Bulawayo. He was dressed in police uniform.

Malinga parked his vehicle at the corner of 8th Avenue and Herbert Chitepo Street with its tail allegedly encroaching onto the road thereby blocking other traffic. Malinga is wheel-chair bound.

Somerayi approached Malinga and addressed him in Shona requesting him to park properly. The State alleges that Malinga responded by insulting the complainant in English saying, “You are stupid, idiot officer speaking Shona in Matabeleland”.

The police officer requested to see his drivers’ licence but Malinga allegedly refused to comply saying there was no law that forces him to carry the document on his person.

Malinga allegedly threatened to put the police officer in “hot soup” for interrupting him.

The officer requested Malinga to accompany him to Tredgold Building to see his superiors if he was offended by his use of the Shona language.

At the Tredgold Building’s Court section, Assistant Inspector Tendekayi Murehwa, who is also a public prosecutor, attended to Somerayi and Malinga.

The State alleges that Malinga continued to use foul language and again said, “He is a stupid, idiot police officer who speaks Shona in Matabeleland.”

Malinga’s application for referral of his case to the Supreme Court was dismissed in September last year and the trial has been postponed on numerous occasions.

Source: The Zimbabwe Times