A Harare magistrate has convicted Dr. Collin Benyure, a senior medical doctor and former Registrar of the Medical and Dental Practitioners Council of Zimbabwe (MDPCOZ), of perjury. Dr. Benyure, aged 64, was found guilty of deliberately misleading the court by falsely claiming he had been authorized to testify on the council's behalf during judicial proceedings. His sentencing is scheduled for today.

The conviction stems from a violation of Section 183 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act [Chapter 9:23], which specifically prohibits making false statements under oath. Dr. Benyure's false claim was made on May 22, 2024, when he appeared as a defence witness for Lenon Tonderai Gwaunza in a cyberbullying case that Dr. Andrew Mataruse had reported. The matter was investigated by the CID Commercial Crimes Division Northern Region, leading to Gwaunza's arrest and court trial at the Harare Magistrate Court presided over by Mr. Zishiri.

During cross-examination by the State, Dr. Benyure asserted under oath that he was representing the MDPCOZ, despite the absence of any formal resolution granting him such authority. This claim was later disproven during his perjury trial when the State presented a council resolution confirming that no specific authorization had been granted for Dr. Benyure, even in his capacity as Acting Registrar, to act as a defence witness in that particular case. The resolution, communicated to the police on February 6, 2025, clearly indicated the lack of such mandate.

In its closing arguments, the State emphasized that Dr. Benyure's professional roles as registrar and spokesperson did not inherently grant him the authority to represent the council in court without a formal resolution. Magistrate Donald Ndirowei, in delivering his judgment on Thursday, concurred, ruling that the State had proven its case beyond reasonable doubt. Magistrate Ndirowei stated that a statutory council, as a juristic person, can only act through formally authorized representatives, rendering Dr. Benyure's claim of inherent authority based solely on his position legally indefensible.