The High Court on Wednesday reserved judgment in an application by the
Finance Minister Tendai Biti, who is seeking to block the release of his
mobile phone records to the police. The serious fraud squad at the Criminal
Investigation Department claim they are investigating Biti for “abuse of
office,” allegations that the Minister has dismissed as harassment.
Harare provincial Magistrate, Mishrod Guvamombe, had last week issued the
police a warrant ordering Econet Wireless to release the Minister’s phone
history. Biti’s lawyers immediately appealed to the High Court, saying the
records contain “vital information” about the MDC-T and other organizations
he is involved with.
Biti is also secretary general of the MDC-T, who is supposed to be a partner
with ZANU PF in the coalition government. But he has been the target of
attacks by ZANU PF mobs that twice descended on his Harare office. Unknown
assailants also petrol bombed his home in Harare last month. The MDC-T have
said the continued harassment of officials and supporters is a ZANU PF ploy
to destabilize the coalition government.
As reported this week on SW Radio Africa the state owned Sunday Mail
newspaper published an article some weeks ago, claiming Biti was having an
affair with an economist in his Ministry. The paper revealed phone numbers
which it claimed were used by Biti to communicate with the alleged mistress.
Five officials from the Finance Ministry were also arrested last week, one
of them being the woman the state media is alleging had the affair with
Biti.
As has recently been reported, the CIO have come up with yet another plan to
discredit the MDC. This one is to expose real or imagined sexual escapades
of the top leadership.
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