Matinyarare and Chitando trade words in Innscor GM...

Matinyarare and Chitando trade words in Innscor GMO case

Nyashadzashe Ndoro

Rutendo Matinyarare, Chairman of the Zimbabwe Anti-Sanctions Movement, has accused his former lawyer, Simba Chitando, of hypocrisy for fighting for a few thousand Zimbabweans in South Africa while supporting a company that allegedly harms 16 million Zimbabweans.

Matinyarare claims that Innscor Africa, the company Chitando is representing, sells toxic and illegal GMOs that contribute to Zimbabwe's high cancer death rate.

"It is hypocritical that the Advocate would fight for a few thousand ZEPHA Zimbabweans in South Africa but simultaneously turn against me, the Chairman of ZASM, to join Innscor, a company ZASM is fighting against for selling toxic and illegal GMOs to 16 million Zimbabweans, potentially contributing to the country's high cancer death rate," Matinyarare said.

Matinyarare also faces perjury charges after his former lawyer, Chitando, accused him of making false statements under oath in the Johannesburg High Court.

Chitando claims that Matinyarare knew about a gag order issued against him but deliberately defied it by continuing to post statements on social media that Innscor says are untrue.

"The objective evidence, and Matinyarare’s own evidence, proves that he unlawfully made false statements in his May 6, 2024, affidavit under oath in the Johannesburg High Court… with the intention of evading criminal liability in contempt of court proceedings against him, and thereby obstructed the administration of justice.

“Matinyarare is thereby liable to be convicted for obstructing and defeating the administration of justice, and sentence in a manner the court deems fit," Chitando said in an affidavit.

Matinyarare has denied the allegations, accusing Chitando of not informing him about the gag order. In a 181-page affidavit handed over to police, Chitando has produced WhatsApp messages showing that Matinyarare was aware of the order and had been kept informed of developments in the case.

Chitando also alleged that Matinyarare's switch to a new law firm, ENS, was sponsored by businessman Simon Rudland, a rival of Innscor's founder.

Additionally, Chitando revealed that Kudakwashe Tagwirei, a businessman under US and British sanctions, had provided funding for ZASM.

"Matinyarare told me about the potential involvement of ENS in this matter before April 29, 2024, when the brief was terminated. In March 2024, he said that Mr Simon Rudland, a multimillionaire Zimbabwean businessman and apparent rival of Mr Zinona Koudounaris, was considering financing his case against Innscor because he does not like Koudounaris' control of the Zimbabwean economy.

His condition was that Matinyarare should have to use ENS," Chitando said.