Chebundo granted bail
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(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...By SCREECH MATANDA
Published: June 4, 2009
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BLESSING CHEBUNDO
ZIMBABWE – HARARE – MDC House of Assembly Member for Kwekwe Central Blessing Chebundo accused of raping a 13-year-old girl near Kadoma last year has been granted US$2 000 bail plus has to surrender his title deeds as surety pending trial by the High Court.
Justice Yunus Omerjee granted the application by Chebundo who is being represented by Mr Dumisani Kufaruwenga of Dzimba, Jaravazi Legal Practitioners in a ruling delivered yesterday.
Chebundo was ordered to deposit the bail money with the clerk of court at Kwekwe magistrates’ court.
The legislator is, in terms of the bail conditions, should continue living at his Msasa Park house until the case is finalised.
Chebundo sought bail at the High Court because the magistrate’s court has no jurisdiction on such cases.
In his ruling Justice Omerjee accepted the defence’s contention that Chebundo was suitable for bail.
He dismissed the State’s contention that Chebundo was likely to abscond since the allegations against him were serious and that he would interfere with witnesses.
The judge ruled that the seriousness of the offence alone was not a solid ground upon which a suspect could be denied his liberty.
It was also the court’s finding that investigations into the case were almost complete, hence the trial is imminent limiting the possibility of Chebundo interfering with investigations.
The MP’s case has since sucked in the Kwekwe mayor Shadreck Tobaiwa and lawyer Tapera Sengweni for allegedly obstructing the course of justice.
This was after Chebundo sent Tapera and Tobaiwa to the girl’s father to try and persuade him to withdraw the charges.
The girl who was in Form Two is reportedly more than 19 weeks pregnant. Chebundo had prior to that sent a text message to the girl’s father’s mobile phone pleading that the case be settled out of court.
Chebundo, Tobaiwa and Sengweni are all members of the MDC. Charges against Chebundo arose on January 5, when he allegedly gave the girl a lift from Harare to Kwekwe.
Chebundo allegedly knew the complainant through her sister who was the child parliamentarian for Kwekwe.
It is alleged that after crossing the Sebakwe River Bridge along the Harare-Kwekwe highway, the MP turned left into the Old Sebakwe River Bridge.
He allegedly stopped his vehicle, a Toyota Hilux Vigo, facing the Old Sebakwe River Bridge. Chebundo allegedly got out of the vehicle and went to the front passenger seat which was inclined and where the complainant was seated.
He allegedly forcibly grabbed the girl and who tried to resist and eventually overpowered her.
It is further alleged that Chebundo tored the girl’s panties and raped her once and offered her R300, which the girl refused. Mr Chris Mutangadura of the Attorney General’s Office appeared for the State.