University of Zimbabwe Vice-Chancellor, Levi Nyagura, who is under suspension for awarding Grace Mugabe a PhD has said he’s not to blame for it. Lawyers representing him told the magistrate court that only Chancellors are responsible for awarding degrees and at the time President Robert Mugabe was the Chancellor.
Said Nyagura’s lawyer in an application for exception and quashing of his indictment.
The accused was never the chancellor and has never been one at any given time particularly at the time when the PHD in issue was conferred on Grace Mugabe.
The chancellor is the chief officer of the university. The accused was the vice chancellor and his powers are set out in terms of Section 8 of the University of Zimbabwe Act and this section provides no powers to confer or award degrees of any sort. In terms of this section, he is an officer of the university and does not act in his personal capacity.
At the relevant period it was Robert Gabriel Mugabe who was the chancellor…Robert Mugabe is the answerable person and must instead face the charges. Accused is the wrong person to charge
The state’s written response and the oral submissions will be done this week.
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More: The Herald