SW Radio Africa news - The Independent Voice of Zimbabwe
Gideon Gono
By Nomalanga Moyo
SW Radio Africa
15 July 2015
Ex-central bank chief Gideon Gono allegedly whipped an employee at his Lunar Chicken Farm after accusing the worker of stealing company information.
The Herald newspaper named Gono’s alleged victim as George Chambara, who held the position of accountant at the farm before he was dismissed.
Chambara was arrested Monday on what his lawyers say are trumped-up fraud claims meant to frustrate his bid for compensation following the assault.
A letter to police chief Augustine Chihuri reveals that Chambara was assaulted on June 3rd and reported the matter at Harare Central Police Station.
However the police are yet to start investigating the assault, a delay which has prompted Chambara’s lawyers to petition Chihuri for intervention.
In the same letter the lawyers accuse Gono of subjecting Chambara to inhuman and degrading treatment “reminiscent of the dark ages of slavery and colonialism”.
“He was whipped by one Dr Gideon Gono on unfounded allegations of stealing undisclosed company information from Slaughterland. Investigations later on revealed that the person who had actually been mistaken for our client is one Maedzenge.”
When Gono realised his mistake he failed to apologise. Through his legal team, Gono’s former worker wants $10,000 in damages, $74,880 for constructive dismissal and $8,320 being income for the period covering January to April 2014.
Gono denies his ex-employee’s accusations. Some observers say that given ZANU PF’s propensity for violence it highly likely that Gono assaulted his worker confident that the country’s compromised judicial system will protect him.
Others say the case may be just another twist in the ZANU PF factional wars. Gono is linked to Vice President Joice Mujuru’s camp and he also enjoys President Robert Mugabe’s protection.
Recently Gono complained to Mugabe that the State media had “blacklisted” him on orders from the Information Ministry headed by Jonathan Moyo.
Moyo belongs to the faction led by Justice Minister Emmerson Mnangagwa who is involved in a fierce covert war with Mujuru over the leadership of the party in the event of Mugabe’s death, or retirement.