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Tendai Rupapa Senior Court Reporter
AN ex-convict sprayed police with pepper in their eyes and took to his heels when the cops temporarily lost their sight, the court heard yesterday.

Rodrick Manguwa (60) was on the police wanted list for allegedly masquerading as a Central Vehicle Registry (CVR) employee.

He reportedly swindled people who sought to register their vehicles.

Manguwa, who has three previous convictions and three pending fraud cases, was later arrested the same day after the blinded policemen called for reinforcement.

Manguwa yesterday appeared before magistrate Mr Tendai Mahwe facing four counts of fraud and one of assaulting a peace officer.

The prosecutor Ms Sheilla Mhuru opposed bail, saying Manguwa was likely to abscond if granted freedom.

“Your Worship, this accused person has three previous convictions and three pending cases and this shows that he has a propensity to re-offend.

“In all these cases, he used the same modus operandi,” she said.

“He even assaulted police officers who were on duty and escaped. Surely your Worship, this accused person is likely to abscond hence it would not be in the best interest of justice to grant him bail.”

Manguwa submitted that he was a proper candidate.

Mr Mahwe remanded him in custody.

It is the State’s case that sometime in December 2012, Enerst Munangwa intended to register his vehicle at CVR and was approached by Manguwa who claimed to work there.

Munangwa paid Manguwa $370 and he disappeared with the money.

During the same month, Manguwa also allegedly misrepresented to Wadzanai Kamoto that he was an official from CVR.

He was paid $230 as a registration fee and vanished.

On April 1 this year, Manguwa used the same method and defrauded Thinkwell Chikuti of $380.

On May 26, police officers — Alfred Mhandu, Claudias Gongolo, Norman Bvunzawabaya and Percy Saunyama — all from Mabvuku Police Station went to Manguwa’s house to arrest him for fraud.

They identified themselves and produced their identification cards.

Manguwa became violent and grabbed a bottle of pepper spray and sprayed them in the eyes.