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(HERALD) Probe into Biti residence bombing intensifies

Probe into Biti residence bombing intensifies
Tuesday, 07 June 2011 22:54
Herald Reporters

Forensic and bomb experts from the police and army have been to the house of MDC-T secretary-general Mr Tendai Biti in Chisipite as investigations into the alleged bombing of his residence intensify. The circumstances surrounding the incident that took place on Sunday morning have raised more questions than answers to the investigators.

Chief police spokesperson Senior Assistant Commissioner Wayne Bvudzijena yesterday said the Police Forensic Unit and the Army Bomb Disposal Unit attended the scene on Monday.

"We are still carrying out investigations on the case and the Forensic Unit and the Bomb Disposal Unit went to his (Mr Biti's) house yesterday (Monday)," he said.

No details could be made available yesterday on what they had discovered.
Yesterday, more intriguing issues surrounding the alleged blast continued to emerge.

The Herald yesterday caught up with Mr Biti's gardener, Mr Gift Chitetere (20).
Mr Chitetere said he was alone at the time of the blast as Mr Biti and his wife were away.

The two maids, identified as Prisca and Revai were off duty.

According to Mr Chitetere, journalists from the private and international media started trooping to Mr Biti's house as early as 9am as news of the blast filtered through.

He said Mr Biti only arrived at his house more than 13 hours later despite being notified of the incident as early as 8am.

Also startling is the fact that a police report was made at Highlands Police Station almost 17 hours after the incident.

"I was sleeping in the quarters and I heard something like a gun shot at around 1am. I went outside to investigate and went to the wall and realised that there was a crack."

Asked why he went straight to the security wall, Mr Chitetere said: "I just suspected that something could have happened to it."

He said he then went to inspect the house before returning to sleep.
"I switched off the lights and at around 8 in the morning, I went outside and that's when I realised smoke on the walls.

"Whilst I was examining the wall, one of the (Mr Biti's) drivers, Danny arrived and I told him everything," he said.

He said Danny immediately phoned "mudhara" (Mr Biti) informing him of the incident.

"Soon after that we started seeing news guys arriving and they came and took nyaya dzavo before leaving. We spent the whole day waiting for him (Mr Biti)," he said.
Asked where his boss was at time of bombing, Mr Chitetere said, "I don't know where exactly but what I know is that he was in the country."

He said at around 6pm he later went and reported the matter at Highlands Police Station together with Danny.

"We came with police officers at around 7pm who started investigating the case. He (Biti) managed to arrive at around 9.30pm and took over everything," he said.

Snr Asst Comm Bvudzijena said nobody had been picked up for questioning so far. Police sources say investigations indicated that the matter appeared to be the party's grandstanding ahead of the Sadc summit on Zimbabwe this weekend.

The Sadc extraordinary summit is slated for this Saturday and would be held on the sidelines of the Comesa, Sadc and East African Community Tripartite Summit in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Police sources said it was startling that an official report was made more than 17 hours after the incident.

The sources also claimed that chances were high that evidence could have been tampered with before the report was made. The bombing reportedly happened at around 1am on Sunday.

This is not the first time that Minister Biti has failed to report a case to the police in time.

In August 2009, Minister Biti was fined US$20 after he was involved in an accident and failed to report to police within 24 hours.

He paid an admission of guilt fine at Avondale Police Station.

The accident occurred on July 13 at around 11pm in Kambanji after the minister who was driving an official silver Mercedes Benz hit a bridge barrier along Outspan Road between Geydan and Milanzi Roads.

The vehicle was damaged and he did not report to the police as stipulated by the Road Traffic Act Chapter 13.11.

The accident was, however, reported 25 days later on August 7, 2009 after officials from the CMED demanded a police report when Minister Biti wanted the vehicle repaired.

On Sunday, there was no police guarding Minister Biti's house as a result of manpower shortages in the force.

"Government said reports claiming that Finance Minister, Biti's house had been bombed were part of the MDC-T political grandstanding ahead of the Sadc Summit. Secretary for Media, Information and Publicity, Mr George Charamba, said the reports were riddled with a lot of inconsistencies rendering the story incredible.

EARLIER STORY

"This was a propaganda political petrol bomb so poorly done ahead of the Sadc Summit in South Africa. If the idea was to draw attention to Minister Biti and his party, then the MDC-T needs to be a little bit more inventive next time," said Mr Charamba.

Media reports had sought to blame the State, claiming that the police officer who guards the residence had left the property.

"This whole issue of a police officer being unavailable is nonsense. Anyone enjoying VIP police protection, including myself, one would know that of late the police have been overstretched by way of manpower,

they have been struggling to deploy because of serious transport handicap, thanks to Minister Biti who will not give them resources. Anywhere, I hear that the police officer at the Minister's residence had been taken ill and remedial action was taken immediately," he said.

Recent investigations by the police have revealed that MDC-T was behind some of the petrol bombings in and around Harare.

Earlier this year, a petrol bomb was detonated at Mbare's Siya-So market stalls in what investigations indicated was an attack by MDC-T youths.

In February this year, five petrol bombs were thrown at the Zanu-PF district offices in Mbare by the MDC-T again. The MDC-T supporters are also suspected to be behind petrol bombs, which were thrown at Harare Central Police Station and the CID headquarters in Harare.

Between March 15 and 25, 2007, four police stations in Chitungwiza, Marimba, Sakubva and Gweru were petrol-bombed by suspected MDC-T activists, resulting in serious injuries to two policewomen and damage to property. Police suspected MDC supporters were responsible for both attacks and arrested five suspects in connection with the Gweru attack.

They also attempted to blow up a railway line in Norton.

Presently there are factional fights within the MDC-T with supporters of Mr Biti and party leader Mr Morgan Tsvangirai involved in some skirmishes. Previous internal squabbles in the party even led to physical attacks on former senior members, Professor Welshman Ncube, Priscilla Misihairabwi-Mushonga and Trudy Stevenson.

Labels: MDC VIOLENCE, POLITICAL VIOLENCE, TENDAI BITI, WAYNE BVUDZIJENA

posted by MrK @ 6:42 PM