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A Zimbabwe Republic Police Anti-Riot unit and detectives escort zanu-pf Harare provincial youth chairman Godwin Gomwe and six other members to the Harare Magistrates’ Courts yesterday. The group is accused of extorting funds from housing co-operatives using the First Lady Amai Grace Mugabe’s name

Tendai Rupapa Senior Court Reporter
Zanu-PF Harare provincial youth chairman Godwin Gomwe and six other party officials have been arrested on allegations of extorting over $46 000 from eight housing co-operatives in Glen Norah using the First Lady Amai Grace Mugabe’s name.

Gomwe, alias Mambo (34), Muchineripi Mupindu, alias Ginya (36), Fidelis Ndaradza, alias Brigadier (32), Haruwandi Munyawiri, alias Baya (46), Hamphrey Madenyika (29), Josephine Hadziindi (59) and Norah Toronga (38) yesterday appeared before Harare magistrate, Mr Vakayi Chikwekwe, facing charges of extortion.

The group reportedly told officials from housing co-operatives that the land they wanted to build on belonged to the First Lady before demanding bribes to “authorise” development.

They are facing three counts of extortion involving $46 200.

Mr Chikwekwe remanded them in custody to today for continuation of bail application after the State, led by Mr Michael Reza and Miss Sharon Mashavira, opposed bail yesterday. Gomwe is represented by Mr John Ndomene, while others are represented by Mr Rungano Mahuni.

Meanwhile, rowdy youths fought running battles with the police outside the court as they tried to maintain order. They tried to bar journalists from taking photos of the suspects as they arrived at the court.

In opposing bail, Mr Reza argued the accused persons would endanger public safety.

“All accused persons have endangered public safety before by systematically assaulting complainants. The cases were reported at Glen Norah police station under RRB/202 /4716,” he said.

“It is not a likelihood, but a fact that none of them will stand trial if released on bail. Police investigations revealed that Gomwe, after he was made aware that police were looking for him, moved from Harare to Chinhoyi before proceeding to Zvimba in a bid to run away from the police,” he said.

He alleged that Gomwe tried to bribe investigating officers.

“The court should know that for Gomwe to be arrested, a trap was set after he had arranged for a private meeting with the investigating officer,” he said.

He added: “If a fugitive from justice suggests that he wants to meet with the investigating officer in private, I am convinced his motive would be to bribe, nothing else.”

According to the State, on February 11, housing co-operatives namely NRZ, Mudadirwa Zvobgo, Tenzi Tinzwei, Spring Field, Archgrace, Palmar Vision, Westgin, First Avenue, Green Image and Ingoni, all registered under the Ministry of Small and Medium Enterprises, were allocated 300 residential stands by the City of Harare.

On May 9, the gang, the court heard, hatched a plan to extort money from the beneficiaries of the stands using the First Lady’s name.

Gomwe allegedly mobilised 30 youths and proceeded to the construction site where they met one Musa, a surveyor who had been contracted by the complainants.

He informed Musa that the land he was working on once belonged to the late Amai Sally Mugabe and was owned by Amai Grace Mugabe, before they chased him away.

On May 10, the gang, led by Gomwe, went back to the site and found the complainants working on the land. They ordered them to leave, insisting the land belonged to the First Lady.

Some of the complainants were assaulted leading to a docket being opened at Glen Norah police station. The complainants later approached the High Court and were granted a provisional order authorising them to develop the land without the interference by the accused.

It is alleged Gomwe again mobilised 80 youths and forcibly removed the complainants from the site. The suspects later summoned the beneficiaries to a meeting at Mushandirapamwe Hotel, where they allegedly demanded four stands or $20 000, which the complainants agreed to pay.

They allegedly advised the members not to include Archgrace housing co-operative in the deal since its members were police officers. The complainants failed to raise the money on time and were ordered by the suspects to stop operations at the site, prompting Godfrey Chivasa, the chairperson of Perfect Hope housing co-operative, to intervene since his co-operative had already given the suspects cash and 19 stands as kickbacks.

Chivasa and the other complainants later met with the suspects to find a way forward and the gang demanded $25 000, which they were later given.

It is the State’s case that Gomwe instructed the complainants to affiliate to an unregistered consortium named Dr Amai Grace Mugabe to avert further trouble. He then ordered each housing co-operative to pay $120 as joining fee. The complainants are said to have complied out of fear and were issued with receipts inscribed Amai Dr Grace Mugabe housing consortium.

After paying the money, the complainants are said to have continued with their developments at the site, but were later stopped by Moses Handiseni, still at large, who demanded more money saying Gomwe had not benefited from the $25 000 they had paid.

The complainants were summoned to Gomwe’s office where they met all the suspects. Gomwe allegedly told them that as the Zanu-PF Harare provincial youth chairman, he was superior hence he wanted more money.

The complainants offered $5 000, which Gomwe said was not enough for a senior official like him and demanded $10 000 more.

The money was allegedly handed over to one Kuda who is said to be the president of the Zimbabwe Council of Students Union (ZICOSU) and is still at large, who later handed it over to Gomwe.