Zimpapers Logo

Nyore Madzianike 

Senior Court Reporter 

TWO men appeared in court yesterday on allegations of extorting various amounts of money since 2019 from politicians, top private and public company executives.

The duo would threaten their targets with arrests and prosecution, as they claimed to be Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) officials.

Felix Rimaunga (52) and Brian Nyazamba (41) appeared before Harare regional magistrate, Mrs Feresi Zvenyika, facing nine counts of extortion.

They were not asked to plead to the charges and were remanded in custody to today for bail application.

Rimaunga and Nyazamba were said to have been working with Fortune Torima and Jacob Kuzinya, who are still at large, according to the State.

Nyazamba was responsible for profiling and submitting findings to Rimaunga and Torima, who would then instruct Kuzinya to manufacture fake documents and open bank accounts, according to the State.

Rimaunga and Nyazamba called their victims informing them that ZACC was investigating them on allegations of corruption and their dockets were nearing completion, and they would be referred to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) for prosecution.

They would then allegedly demand cash in United States dollars, Ecocash, Mukuru.com or Mojo Mula transfers or bank transfers.

The first casualty, according to the State, was Cassius Gambinga who is employed by the Infrastructure Development Bank of Zimbabwe, who was allegedly being investigated on several cases of corruption.

One of them allegedly passed himself as ZACC Commissioner Chimbwanda and demanded US$1 400 and $5 000 in order for them to close the alleged corruption cases.

Out of suspicion, Gambinga approached ZACC offices to get full details of his corruption allegations and was told that they were not ZACC employees.

City of Harare district officer for Mufakose, Ms Chiratidzo Dzama, was also called on February 4, 2021 by one of the suspects saying he was Commissioner Gwangwadza from ZACC, indicating they had received six anonymous letters of corruption allegations levelled against her.

They allegedly claimed that nine investigation officers were handling the cases, but indicated that their senior officers knew her and were willing to destroy the dockets on condition she paid them US$900 or transferred $90 000 via EcoCash. 

Former Harare mayor Elias Mudzuri was also approached by the suspects, saying they were investigating his murder case and that his docket was complete and would be referred to NPA for prosecution. 

They allegedly demanded US$2 000 for them to close the docket at station level and to save him from prosecution.

Eng Mudzuri consulted his lawyer, who advised him to approach ZACC offices and get clarity on the allegations. That is when he was told that there was no Commissioner Hungwe at ZACC.

Dr Simba Makoni also fell victim after one of them called saying ZACC was investigating him on allegations of flouting the Exchange Control Regulations, and that his docket was complete, awaiting referral to the NPA for prosecution. 

They demanded $1 million from him to close the docket at station level. 

It is said that they asked him deposit $1 million into a CBZ Bank account registered in the name of Talent Murape.

Investigations by police revealed that there was no Talent Murape registered with the Registrar General’s Office.

CEO of Africawide Zimbabwe (Private) Mr Douglas Chiimba, was allegedly extorted of US$1 000 while one Dr Guzha, a medical practitioner, was extorted of US$1 000 on accusations of raping a patient at his private surgery in Harare.

Mr Raphael Mushanawani, the Netone CEO, was called and the suspects wanted 10 percent of the value of assets recovered from a NetOne cashier who was allegedly stealing from the company.

It is said they told Mr Mushanawani that he was involved and they threatened to take the matter to social media if the deal did not sail through.

On May 21, Netone entered into a whistle-blower agreement with one of the four suspects for him to get a 10 percent reward from the recovered assets. Mr Lancelot Mutsokoti appeared for the State.