HARARE – A key state witness – supposed to be an information technology (IT) expert – turned out to be just a cable layer after he was unmasked by defence lawyers of Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai’s top aide Roy Bennett, who is facing terrorism charges.

Denshard Mutsetse, who the state had line up as its computer expect from Africom to buttress its case that a bunch of emails allegedly printed from the computer of gun dealer Peter Michael Hitschmann that implicate Bennett in treason were authentic, shocked the court when he claimed that there are no internet hackers.

During cross examination by defence lawyer Beatrice Mtetwa, Mutsetse who did not look composed spent more time throwing questions to Mtetwa instead of answering them.

"You are only employed by Africom, currently your job title is a technician LAN," Mtetwa said. "That position is the lowest rank in your entire structure. The structure (at Africom) does not have a position of a provincial engineer."

Mutsetse had been introduced by Attorney General Johaness Tomana as the provincial engineer for the cable firm, but according to the company's profile there is no such position in the firm.

Mutsetse had refused to outline his company profile citing confidentiality and also told the court that "it was not possible to create fake emails".

Asked if he knew that there were computer hackers and computer forensic expects, Mutsetse said it was the first time he was hearing of such terms and asked Mtetwa to clarify where the hackers are from and who trained them.

"I dont know them. It's my first time to hear that (hackers and forensic expects). Where are the hackers trained?" he asked.

However, Mtetwa would have none of it as she shot back saying, "You can be the lawyer and I come the witness," leading High Court Judge Chinembiri Bhunu to intervene in the spat.

Asked if he knew of computer software called EnCase and Forenscic Tool Kit, meant to deal with hackers and people who create false emails, Mutsetse retorted, "Here in Zimbabwe there are no such people, maybe they are there in South Africa as you have stated. There is no forensic personnel in computers in this country."

As he finished testifying he had a partying shot for the judge saying, "Ndinokutendai nekutambisa nguva yangu (Thank you for wasting my time)," much to the amazement of Bhunu who however let him walk scott free.

The trial continues today.

Prosecutors say Hitschmann implicated Bennett in 2006 when he was arrested after being found in possession of firearms, claims the gun dealer denies saying he was tortured into making the confessions during interrogation at a military barracks in March that year.

If found guilty Bennett faces a possible death sentence, a development certain to plunge Zimbabwe’s shaky coalition government into unprecedented crisis.

By Zimonline

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