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Zimbabwe court says no foul play in Mujuru mystery death

By AFP
Zimbabwe Thousands of mourners gather at the National Heroes Acre for the burial of Solomon Mujuru in 2011.  By Jekesai Njikizana AFPFile
MAR 29, 2012 LISTEN
Thousands of mourners gather at the National Heroes Acre for the burial of Solomon Mujuru in 2011. By Jekesai Njikizana (AFP/File)

HARARE (AFP) - Zimbabwe closed the probe into the death of the country's first post-independence army chief Solomon Mujuru in a mysterious blaze after a court inquest found no foul play in its report released Thursday.

"I agree with the conclusion of the inquest, which finds that no foul play suspicion is sustained," Attorney-General Johannes Tomana, told the state-run Herald newspaper.

"In my capacity as the attorney-General, I have accordingly recommended to the police that the docket be closed as a completed matter."

Tomana's statement came after a court inquest ruled out foul play but could not pin down the cause of the deadly August fire which engulfed Mujuru's farmhouse south of Harare where his remains were found.

"Despite the suppositions, speculation, conjectures and suspicions by various people including the deceased's relatives, nothing concrete and no evidence at all was placed before the court to show that there was foul play in the death of the deceased," wrote Harare magistrate Walter Chikwanha.

"The court analysed the evidence of all the 41 witnesses to determine what caused the fire to start but could not get any answers," added Chikwanha who presided over the inquest which started in January.

There had been speculation that Mujuru, who was widely seen as a kingmaker in President Robert Mugabe's ZANU-PF party, was killed by somebody within his party and that his death was not accidental.

Mujuru was respected across the country's political divide as one of the few people able to speak frankly to Mugabe about ending political violence against the veteran president's opponents

He belonged to a faction of ZANU-PF whose members were seen as less radical than its hardline elements, and was respected across Zimbabwe's political divide.

When former finance minister Simba Makoni quit ZANU-PF to stand against Mugabe in the 2008 presidential election, there were reports that Mujuru supported the move and would join him.

Lawmakers, including his wife Vice-President Joice Mujuru, have queried how he could have failed to escape from the burning farm house in Beatrice, 60 kilometres south of the capital, through various low-level windows.

The Mujuru family had called for an independent pathologist to be allowed to examine his remains but a magistrate turned down the request.

Known by his war name Rex Nhongo, Mujuru led Zimbabwe's liberation forces during the 1970s bush war against the whites-only Rhodesian government.

He funeral was at a shrine for national heroes was attended by a record crowd including Mugabe and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai.

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