THREE State security agents who are attached to the Presidential Guard appeared in court yesterday facing allegations of extorting money from and robbing a Chinese national of US$2 800.
Chamunorwa Victor Chinorwiwa (32), Hilary Maravanyika (28) and Tawanda Ngoshi (39) appeared before Harare regional magistrate Marehwanazvo Gofa who remanded them in custody to today pending a ruling on their application, where they challenged their placement on remand.
The complainant is Enjie Zhang (49), a Chinese national.
Prosecutor Anesu Chirenje said on October 19, the trio went to Murodzi Mining Claim in Concession, Mazowe district, using a dark blue Toyota Hilux GD-6 double-cab vehicle which did not bear registration plates.
When they got there, Chirenje said, the agents identified themselves as Central Intelligence Organisation officers who were on duty and they allegedly ordered Zhang and his 25 mine workers to sit on the ground.
They were brandishing pistols.
According to court documents, the trio threatened to shoot Zhang or his miners if they attempted to flee .
They also allegedly ordered Zhang and his fellow Chinese nationals who were present to produce their identity documents, mining certificates and work permits.
- Letter from America: Is former president Donald Trump a hero or villain?
- Zanu PF shutting down political space
- Parties condemn Afrophobic attacks in SA
- Top CIO boss up for extortion
Keep Reading
The court heard that Zhang and his counterparts produced their identity documents, but failed to produce the mining certificates and work permits which they said were in the custody of a Ms Hu, the general manager, who was in Harare.
The agents allegedly accused Zhang of conducting illegal mining operations in the area and asked to pay US$2 000 in cash so that they could be released.
They allegedly demanded Zhang to contact Hu to bring the bribe money.
One of the State agents, a Simbabure, who is already in remand, reportedly spoke to Hu over Zhang’s phone to deliver the bribe money to Ngoshi.
Hu then reportedly contacted Godfrey Zambuko, employed by Holden Field Investments, who was in Harare, and asked him to proceed to Zimbabwe House to hand over the US$2 000 bribe money to Ngoshi.
The State submitted that Zambuko went to Zimbabwe House and gave Ngoshi the money.
The court heard that the trio allegedly extorted money from another Chinese national, Hang Hainglin, who had escaped from the mining site and gone to a nearby mining site, where he was given US$1 000 to give the State agents.
Kelvinator Don Paricha, employed as an interpreter, reportedly gave them US$800, resulting in Zhang and the other mine workers being released.
Chirenje further alleged that on October 21, the accused called Zambuko inviting him to go to Zimbabwe House, where they wanted to discuss with him additional bribe money.
On October 22, Zambuko reportedly advised Isheanesu Kufakunesu from the President’s Department about the issue and the two went to Zimbabwe House, where they met Simbabure, leading to their arrest.
Simbabure implicated other State agents leading to their arrest.
