Zimbabwe News
Bigwig ‘ Pfungwa Kunaka’ in trouble for allegedly assaulting his mistress and stepdaughter
Permanent secretary in the ministry of Mines and Mining Development, Pfungwa Kunaka, is under fire for allegedly assaulting his mistress and stepdaughter at his government offices, amid allegations he has over the years used his position as a senior official to get away with similar abuses.
Information gathered by The NewsHawks shows that Rumbidzai Matinyenya has reported physical abuse numerous times over the years at Harare Central Police Station before being cajoled to drop charges.
She has however refused to drop charges for an attack that occurred at the ministry’s offices in the central business district on 20 February.
Kunaka also allegedly attacked his 14-year-old stepdaughter while guards watched.
The matter was reported at Harare Central Police Station and a docket was opened under CR 951/02/23 about his mistress while the stepdaughter’s case is under CR950/2/23.
Kunaka also allegedly assaulted Matinyenya and her friend at a house in Harare’s Greendale suburb on Christmas Day, resulting in the matter being reported under case number RRB5377773 at Rhodesville Police Station.
Another assault case was reported at Harare Central in July last year under number IR071059. Matinyenya confirmed the cases but said she dropped charges on all previous matters except the February attack, where “he also attacked my daughter”.
Kunaka did not respond to questions sent a fortnight ago. Messages sent on WhatsApp were blue-ticked to show he had read them. He was also not answering calls.
Matinyenya alleged she has been abused by Kunaka since 2015 after she gave birth to his child. The attacks occurred at several places, including at the Ministry of Finance offices, where he was employed as a senior official before his promotion to Mines permanent secretary last year.
She revealed the two have had a relationship since 2008 when she was only 17. She was married at the time but was cheating with Kunaka, whom she said pampered her with cash and gifts.
Kunaka is also married.
“I was young, vulnerable, and impressionable. I guess I lost my bearing because of the gifts and the promise to marry me. I was pregnant at the time we were dating, but my husband found out about our affair in 2009, when my child was small, resulting in us separating,” she said.
“Kunaka then rented a house for me. Things were okay between us until 2015 when I gave birth to his child. He suddenly stopped sending my first child to school and stopped paying rent. My child had to drop from a private school and enroll at a government school as a result. He also started physically abusing me; the first time was in March 2016 when he hit me with a whip in the Ministry of Finance offices.
“I almost fell through the window on the 6th floor as he was assaulting me,” she said.
Matinyenya said she reported the assault at Harare Central Police Station but withdrew charges after he convinced her to do so.
“From that day, I have not known peace,” she said.
She said one of the most brutal attacks occurred last Christmas when she went to his house to ask for money to treat their child, who has a heart ailment.
Matinyenya said Kunaka has refused to put his child on medical aid despite her condition.
“Our child fell ill. I called him for help because the child was not on medical aid, but he was not answering. I then went to his house. I was answered by his son who was very courteous. He asked me to come inside but I said I just wanted to see Kunaka and asked him to call him for me. While I was parked at the gate, someone drove out and asked why I was blocking the gate, before hurling insults at me,” she said.
“There were many people at the house and I saw a group of people advancing towards me, among them his daughter. I tried to reverse the car but his daughter hit me with a bottle after I crashed the car into a pillar.
“Kunaka came and took the keys away, and ordered people to beat me. I was accompanied by a friend, and we were both beaten. I was beaten until I soiled myself. They beat me from around 1830hrs to 2000hrs and I passed out. My sick daughter witnessed the attack and was crying throughout while holding onto her father. When I was released from his home, I met a guy who offered me his shirt. He phoned a taxi which took me to Rhodesville Police Station,” she said.
Matinyenya said Kunaka ignored police officers who attended the scene and was only interviewed the following day when she also “rescued” her daughter “who was cold and shivering after sleeping on the floor”.
She alleged Kunaka was in the habit of bribing police officers each time he attacked her, and believe he did so at Rhodesville as well. Matinyenya said the attitude of the police officers changed after they had a long meeting with Kunaka and even took him to court when the magistrates’ court was on a break.
“I later withdrew the case after Kunaka pressured me to drop charges. He also promised to fix the car I was driving which was extensively damaged during the attack. I took the Mercedes Benz C180 to Zimoco for repairs and gave them his number, but when they called him, he said he did not know me. He failed to honor his promise, so I visited him at his offices on 20 February so that we could solve this matter,” she said.
“I went with both my children and we met him in the basement as he was also going out. He was about to go into his car and the small girl in excitement touched his car, a brand new Prado. He was offended and insulted her. I asked him if we could get into his car to talk, but when I held the door he started assaulting me while calling the guards. He was pushing me against the wall while pulling my breasts.
“He saw my daughter holding a phone and turned on her. He chased her and hit her with a broom. He called her a ‘street kid’.”
Her daughter took a taxi and reported the assault at Harare Central Police Station, but she was told to come with an adult. Matinyenya then reported the assault alongside her daughter. Since the case involved a minor, the Social Welfare Department was also roped in.
She said Kunaka has asked her to drop the charges, saying she can never win the case, but she has refused. Matinyenya said the social welfare officer who initially handled the matter has recused himself but told her to be strong for her daughter.
She suspects he was put under pressure, but refused to be compromised. She said a new officer is handling the matter.
She was interviewed on 13 March while Kunaka was later called to explain his side of the story.
Matinyenya said the matter was yet to be heard in court. Police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyati did not respond to questions although he said he would personally look into the matter.
The revelations on Kunaka come at a time the Supreme Court ruled that President Emmerson Mnangagwa should craft a code of conduct for the vice president, ministers, and their deputies.
This week, the court heard an appeal by Justice Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi against a 2022 High Court ruling giving the minister 45 days to prepare a code of conduct for the vice president, ministers, and their deputies.
This was after a law student at the Zimbabwe Ezekiel Guti University, Nyasha Chiramba, represented by Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum lawyers, had approached the court, seeking to compel the minister and the Attorney-General to initiate the drafting of the Bill envisaged under section 106 (3) of the constitution.
He argued that the vice-presidents, ministers, and deputy ministers have been involved in serious cases of misconduct, including sexual harassment and abuse of state resources, to no avail. For instance, former vice-president Kembo Mohadi was forced to resign after being implicated in a sexual abuse scandal that went viral on social media.
Ziyambi and the AG argued that it was the responsibility of the President and cabinet to craft the code, a position upheld by the Supreme Court bench comprising Deputy Chief Justice Elizabeth Gwaunza with Justices of Appeal Nicholas Mathonsi and Samuel Kudya, which the Supreme Court has ruled in favor of.
Marondera businessman Francesco Marconati has been sentenced to two years in prison after being found guilty of fraudulently removing his business partner from the directorship of Eagle Italian Shoes.
Initially, the magistrate handed down a five-year sentence, with three years suspended on the condition that he doesn’t commit a similar offense.
In his ruling, the magistrate noted that Marconati was fully aware he was bypassing proper corporate procedures when committing the offense. He emphasized that Marconati did not receive any resignation letter from his partner, Ms. Song, and that the two had been long-time business and social associates.
Mr. Donald Ndirowei, the presiding magistrate, stated that the complainant had suffered significant emotional distress and financial loss due to Marconati’s actions. He also noted that Marconati had two prior convictions, establishing him as a repeat offender. The magistrate criticized Marconati for showing a lack of respect for the country’s criminal justice system by continuing to commit similar offenses, justifying the need for a severe sentence.
Marconati was convicted of two counts of fraud. Last week, the magistrate found that he had improperly removed Ms. Song from her role as company director and secretary at Eagle Italian Shoes and Agrilink, falsifying documents to claim that both she and Agrilink had resigned. The State, represented by Mr. Anesu Chirenji, demonstrated that Marconati had submitted false information to the Registrar of Companies, falsely claiming Ms. Song’s resignation.
Mr. Ndirowei detailed how Marconati presented a fraudulent CR6 document to Ecobank and First Capital Bank on October 14, 2021, to remove Ms. Song as a company director and account signatory, replacing her with his son, Alessandro Marconati. This document was never officially filed with the Registrar.
In December 2022, Marconati repeated the act by appointing his son Alessandro as director without notifying Ms. Song or holding any required meetings. In 2023, he and his son forged a third CR6 form, appointing Kutaura Bond as an additional company director. Due to these fraudulent actions, the company lost US$6.8 million.
The State also proved that the company secretary had not been informed of these changes, and no resignation letter had been submitted by Ms. Song. “No shareholders meeting or general meeting was conducted,” said Mr. Ndirowei. “The accused is found guilty as charged.”
President Emmerson Mnangagwa has approved two additional groundbreaking presidential initiatives aimed at empowering Zimbabwe’s economically marginalized population.
These initiatives, the Presidential Internet Scheme (PIS) and the Presidential Home Industry Development Scheme (PHIDS), will be launched in the near future to complement government efforts in achieving a middle-income economy by 2030.
Prevail International Group (PIG), under the leadership of its chairperson Paul Tungwarara, will spearhead these programs, building upon the success of its previous initiatives, the Presidential Borehole Scheme (PBS) and Presidential Solar Scheme (PSS).
PIS will leverage SpaceX’s Starlink satellite technology, to provide high-speed internet access to schools in marginalised rural communities, further bridging the digital divide.
On the other hand, PHIDS will establish and also upgrade existing home industries to create employment and empower the economically disenfranchised urbanites across the country.
PIG chairperson Tungwarara speaking on the launch of more presidential schemes on cards applauded Mnangagwa for being the mastermind behind the avant-garde garde initiatives that sought to achieve a middle income economy by 2030.
“The Presidential Internet Scheme and the Presidential Home Industry Development Scheme are noble projects that represent a monumental step towards digital and economic inclusivity across Zimbabwe.
“President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s commitment to utilizing cutting-edge technology like Starlink to reach our most remote villages and upgrade our ailing home is truly commendable.
“It reflects a deep understanding of the needs of Zimbabwean citizens and a dedication to their development,” said Tungwarara.
Tungwarara said PHIDS’ pilot project will be introduced by an upgrade in Glenview home industries which have been plagued by serial infernos of the years
“We are also going to implement another scheme of presidential home industry development
“To upgrade our home industry to state of the art we are ready to kick off our pilot to curb fire outbreaks in Glenview home industries that have been happening frequently.
“We are ready to do the project and are currently in liaison with the local authority to work out the framework favorable for both parties,” said Tungwarara.
PHIDS and PIS complement Mnangagwa’s existing initiatives, particularly the ongoing PBS and the PSS to improve the livelihoods of Zimbabwean citizenry.
The PBS has provided vital water sources to drought-stricken areas across the nation, including Gokwe, Nkayi, Chipinge, Tsholotsho, Hwange, Bulilima, and Lupane.
By mitigating the impacts of the El Niño-induced drought, the borehole scheme has significantly improved the livelihoods of many villagers.
PBS has also been instrumental in implementing commercial Village Business Units (VBUs) which have empowered previously marginalised communities to take control of local agrarian economies.
Under Mnangagwa’s vision VBUs are designed to spur rural industrialization and modernization.
VBUS have begun yielding benefits for villagers, creating employment opportunities and improving overall livelihoods.
Additionally, Zimbabwe Solar Energy Company, a subsidiary of PIG subsidiary, has been tackling load shedding through the PSS pilot project.
This initiative, now in full swing, has connected several homes in Glen View Suburb to the national grid.
Solar power is seen as a key solution to the country’s electricity outages and aligns with Sustainable Development Goal 7 of ensuring access to clean and affordable energy.
PSS involves renting and installing solar panels on rooftops at no cost, with the solar energy generated being fed into the national grid.
In return, ZESA has agreed in principle to suspend load-shedding in participating areas, and homeowners will receive a token of appreciation.
As PIG prepares for the rollout of more transformative presidential schemes it marks a new era of digital and economic empowerment for Zimbabwe’s marginalised communities, advancing the government’s Vision 2030 for comprehensive national development.
Chinese investor Haoxuan Song has urgently sought an interdict from the High Court to block his deportation from Zimbabwe, arguing that his detention and pending deportation are unlawful and violate his constitutional rights.
The case was heard before High Court Judge, Honorable Katiyo, who issued an interim court order suspending Song’s deportation until legal proceedings are resolved.
Song, who has lived in Zimbabwe since he was four years old, asserts that his detention and the deportation threat are an infringement on his personal liberty and protection from arbitrary deportation under Zimbabwe’s Constitution.
Song has invested over US$3 million in the country and argues that his continued presence is vital for his business operations.
On September 13, 2024, Song was detained by immigration officials and held at Harare Remand Prison, pending deportation to China. His legal team, represented by Tabana and Marwa, contends that the detention and deportation threats are without legal basis and violate his rights.
The matter was heard by High Court Judge Katiyo, who ruled as follows:
1. The case is postponed to September 17, 2024, at 14:30.
2. The deportation of Haoxuan Song is to be suspended until the 17th of September 2024.
3. No order as to costs.
Despite this court ruling, immigration authorities have reportedly refused to comply, allegedly avoiding legal service by switching off their phones to evade communication from Song’s legal team.
Song’s case has emerged in the context of a broader dispute involving business interests between his relative, Li Song, and Italian nationals Francesco and Alessandro Marconati. The Marconatis, who were convicted in 2024 of fraud, forgery, and theft, are accused of defrauding Li Song and unlawfully removing her from director positions in several companies. They allegedly used intimidation tactics, including brandishing firearms, to deny her access to her business premises and have been illegally extracting and selling gold from her plant since October 2021.
It is believed that Song’s detention and deportation are part of a scheme orchestrated by the Marconatis to consolidate control over Li Song’s business assets. Song’s legal team has also accused the immigration authorities of corruption, suggesting that senior officials have been bribed to facilitate his deportation and block legal proceedings.
The Chinese embassy has lodged a diplomatic protest with Zimbabwe’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, claiming that the Zimbabwean government violated the Vienna Convention by detaining Song without notifying the embassy and failing to provide necessary documentation.
As the legal battle continues, the tension between Song and immigration authorities remains high, with the court’s order yet to be fully enforced.
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