The Harare magistrate, Lynn Chizhou, fined and sternly warned comedian Felistas “Mai Tt” Murata for missing court.
Murata said that her father’s funeral was the reason for her absence on August 19, as her lawyer Tafadzwa Muvhami represented her. In spite of the lack of official records such as a death certificate or burial order, Muvhami noted that the funeral was well advertised and the default was unintentional.
Magistrate Chizhou, however, was not persuaded by these explanations due to the lack of documentation. She noted that this was the second time Murata had missed court this month and confirmed the warrant. As a result, Murata was fined US$30, which must be paid immediately, or face a one-month prison sentence.
Murata is involved in a perjury case against Melissa Munyorove. The court case reveals that Murata owed Munyorove US$3,120, with an agreement to pay US$500 per month. Munyorove allegedly submitted a false affidavit to the court on May 13, claiming she had served Murata with summons on April 30 at 12:45 pm, which she had not actually done. The court, acting on the affidavit, issued a default judgment in favor of Munyorove.
Murata discovered the issue when a court messenger came to her property to enforce the judgment. She was then informed of the default judgment and promptly paid the outstanding amount of US$3,140 to prevent property attachment. This payment covered the US$1,100 she had already paid under their agreement.
