Zimbabwe court says no foul play in general’s death

A Zimbabwean magistrate has ruled out foul play in the death last August of retired army general Solomon Mujuru, a major player in the contest to succeed ageing President Robert Mugabe.

Thursday, March 29, 2012

A Zimbabwean magistrate has ruled out foul play in the death last August of retired army general Solomon Mujuru, a major player in the contest to succeed ageing President Robert Mugabe.Mujuru’s death led to speculation in the media he had been killed in a political power play that would help Mugabe, who has ruled the destitute country for more than 30 years, and his supporters in his ruling ZANU-PF.But in a report published on Thursday, magistrate Walter Chikwanha said he could not recommend further investigations following evidence gathered at an inquest in January."So many people and even relatives of the deceased believe that there is (something) amiss in the death of the now deceased but from the 41 witnesses who testified, no one was able to point to the court as to the basis of such suspicion and what it is that is amiss,” Chikwanha wrote in his report."The facts and evidence presented before the court, therefore, do not show that there was foul play and consequently the court concludes that there was no foul play,” he said.