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Nyore Madzianike

Senior Court Reporter

THREE bogus Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) officers, who were nabbed in Harare after they fell into a trap while attempting to extort US$5 000 from a ZIMRA official stationed at Chirundu Border Post, were found with 23 national identity cards in names of different people and 76 cellphone lines from three network providers upon their arrest.

Munyaradzi Mushimbo, Fife Geza and Fungai Nyenge were also found with four suspected fake national identity cards in the names of Fortunate Katiyo, Lovejoy Baureni, Shamiso Mawana and Nomsa Muchina.

Mushimbo, Geza and Nyenge were arrested in Harare’s city centre on March, 3, while attempting to extort money from Fortune Hlehliwani, a ZIMRA official stationed at Chirundu Border Post, who they threatened to arrest on corruption related allegations.

The trio were subsequently taken to Harare Magistrates Court facing extortion charges.

They were not asked to plead to the charges when they appeared before magistrate Mrs Evelyn Mashavakure, who remanded them to May 4 on $100 000 bail each.

It is the State’s case that on March 3, the trio called Hlehliwani and introduced themselves as ZACC officials.

One of them allegedly passed himself off as officer Chinembiri when he called saying they had been instructed by their boss to come and arrest him on allegations of corruption.

The trio allegedly denied to disclose the nature of the allegations upon being asked.

It is alleged that they told Hlehliwani that they were working with ZIMRA loss control officers and would arrest him in the event that he does not cooperate.

Hlehliwani then called his brother and told him about the imminent arrest. His brother advised him to alert ZACC officials.

After a few minutes, the trio called again offering to help Hlehliwani so that he could not be arrested.

They allegedly told him that they were willing to destroy the dossier with incriminating evidence against him on  condition that he pays them US$5 000.

Hlehliwani then told the trio that he was travelling to Harare after work and arranged for a meeting. At around 4pm the trio called again confirming whether he had arrived in Harare.

Upon arriving in Harare, Hlehliwani engaged ZACC officials  and met the trio along Herbert Chitepo Street.

Nyenge allegedly went to knock at Hlehliwani’s car window and asked him if he was Mr Fortune.

She then told him that she had been sent by her colleagues to collect their money.

At the same time, Geza phoned him and asked whether he had met the lady they had sent to collect the money.

He then asked her for the dossier but was told that their offices had already closed.

Hlehliwani asked Nyenge to enter into his car and she complied. At that moment, the ZACC team arrived and arrested her.

Her two accomplices continued phoning asking for the US$5 000 and he asked them to meet him.

They then agreed to meet at Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals main gate for them to collect the money  leading to their arrest.