Former Police Commissioner during the Robert Mugabe era Augustine Chihuri is escalating his fight with the new dispensation and his former junior Godwin Matanga who is now the substantive police commissioner.
Chihuri made claims against Matanga in his affidavit seeking to have the High Court set aside an order made made against him to explain his source of wealth in the process of asset forfeiture. Chihuri is on the verge off losing his vast wealth that the government claims was ill gotten and siphoned from the public during his time as police boss.
Chihuri told the court that his former junior instructed a constable police officer to shoot him at his Greystone Park house.
“My family home was burnt beyond recognition. The fire was started in my home office burning all files, records, 15 Bibles, etc were destroyed. To make sure that the records and files were destroyed, he took a 20-litre diesel container and another container with oil. He sprayed both in the office, the main bedroom as the major target and so he did the rest of the house except the guest wing. Maukazuva [the constable] is facing serious criminal charges, two attempted murder charges and one of arson and malicious injury to property.”
The ex police chief claims Matanga is prosecuting him to please his boss President Mnangagwa and constantly harasses his workers and family members at gun point.
Chihuri also says his young children are being harassed by the police sent by Matanga.
“My children are suffering emotional trauma and they started having nightmares, refusing to go to school as unmarked vehicles would be following them going to and coming back from school.”
Chihuri alleges that Matanga’s tactics are also borne out of his lack of basic education and he is doing it to win Mnangagwa’s loyalty.
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“He realises that as a mere ZIPAM diploma holder on behest of Zimbabwe Republic Police, having been promoted to the post of the country’s police chief is a vulnerable position because his deputies are more educated than him, with Masters and even PhD degrees,” Chihuri wrote.
“He does not even hold an O’ Level certificate, which is a basic requirement for a constable to join the police.
“It goes on to show that he was rewarded for being a willing participant in the coup process and not on merit.”
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