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Fungai Lupande Court Reporter
A 61-year-old driver for a Mbare magistrate allegedly lied to a South African national desperate for a resident permit that he was a judge, before conniving with a photographer based at the Harare Magistrates’ Court to con him of about US$2 000. Edmond Mboko (61), Christopher Chinomona (39) and Victor Magwaza (37) recently appeared before Harare magistrate Mr Donald Ndirowei facing charges of impersonating a public officer and fraud.

They were granted US$50 bail and are expected back in court on August 13 for trial.
The court heard that Mboko of No. 2270 Zaka Road, Glen Norah A, was employed by the Ministry of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs for 30 years.

Chinomona, of No. 53 Mubvee Road, Mufakose, Harare, is a self-employed photographer operating from Harare Magistrate Court, while Magwaza is not employed.

The complainant in the matter is a South African national, Elsharknaina Ez Ahmed.
It is alleged that sometime in March this year, Mboko was approached by Ahmed seeking assistance in facilitating a marriage certificate with a Zimbabwean woman named Desna Marie D’Almeida.

Mboko assured Ahmed that he would help him since he was a judge.
Mboko allegedly contacted Chinomona for the processing of the papers and they demanded US$500 from Ahmed.

It is alleged that Ahmed gave them US$400 and on March 21, Mboko asked for an additional US$1 500 for the processing of a resident permit.
He later informed Ahmed that his application for a resident permit was rejected.

The court heard that Chinomona later introduced Ahmed to Magwaza whom he said was an immigration official, before he demanded another US$1 500.

Ahmed paid US$500 and was issued with a fake receipt, it is alleged.
On June 24, Ahmed went to immigration offices at Linquenda House where he was informed that a file in his name had no papers indicating that he was applying for a resident permit.

Ahmed lost US$2 400 and only US$300 was recovered.