Matonga Cleared

Zim Now Reporter

Former Deputy Minister of Information, Bright Matonga, has emerged victorious from a legal battle that cast a shadow over his reputation, with a Chegutu magistrate acquitting him of theft charges. The ruling, delivered by Ms. Evelyn Mashawakure, brings to an end a protracted legal saga that began with his arrest in June of the previous year.

The allegations stemmed from a dispute with his business partner, Van Breda, who accused Matonga of misappropriating farming equipment valued at a substantial US$500,000. The arrest, which sent ripples through political and business circles, painted a picture of a calculated theft, a narrative that has now been definitively rejected by the court.

In a carefully considered judgment, Magistrate Mashawakure dismantled the prosecution's case, asserting that the core of the dispute lay within the realm of civil law, rather than criminal culpability. "The court finds that this matter arises from a breach of a joint venture agreement, a civil matter, and not a criminal offense," she stated, emphasizing the contractual nature of the disagreement.

Furthermore, the magistrate highlighted a critical lack of evidence to support the prosecution's claims of theft. "There was no evidence presented before this court to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Mr. Matonga committed the alleged theft," she concluded, effectively dismissing the prosecution's narrative.