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Fungai Lupande Court Reporter

A Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) lance corporal and his four colleagues appeared in court last Friday after they were found with $1 800 in fake notes. The five appeared before Harare magistrate Ms Victoria Mashamba charged with possessing articles for criminal use.They are, lance corporal Kudakwashe Gumbeze (28), Elias Maendese (26), Patrick Kabinda (38), Sydney Mugugu (36), and Innocent Chiurairwe (29).They were remanded to October 19 on $50 bail each for trial.

The prosecutor, Ms Tariro Gwatidzo told the court that on September 28, detectives received information that the accused were in possession of counterfeit US dollars. It is alleged that Maendese, Kabinda and Mugugu were driving in a white Mitsubishi Gallant registration number ABG 7882. Detectives arrested the trio at Joina City in Harare.

The trio was found in possession of 16 $100 notes which were stashed in a black diary on the driver’s door panel.In the same diary, detectives also recovered a photocopy of Maendese’s payslip and proof of residence.

The counterfeit notes were taken to Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe where it was confirmed that they were fake.After their arrest the trio implicated lance corporal, Gumbeze as part of their syndicate. With help of the trio, detectives arrested Gumbeze on the same day and found him in possession of a $100 counterfeit note leading to his arrest.