"Mobile Phone Thief Cabinet Minister" Trial Starts, Chinotimba Testifies
This is Thamsanqa Mahlangu, the MDC-Tsvangirai Youth League Chairman and Deputy of of Youth in the Inclusive Government who stands accused of stealing a US$20 mobile phone that belongs to War Veterans leader Joseph Chinotimba in Harare during the Constitutional Conference. He was in court today, where Chinotimba was testifying Harare, Zimbabwe, 27 August 2009 The trial of MDC Tsvangirai Deputy Minister Thamsanqa Mahlangu started in earnest at Magistrates Court along Rotten Row Road in Harare today. Joseph Chinotimba, the self-styled "Commander of Land Invasions" and War Veterans Association leader, who is accusing the Deputy Minister of the theft, was the only witness to give evidence today at the court. During his testimony, Chinotimba (known as Chinos around Zimbabwe) was asked why he left his phone unattended when he went to get food from the buffet table at the Harare hotel where he was attending a conference with the accused Deputy Minister. Chinos replied that the peop...