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Court Reporter
A driving school instructor yesterday appeared in court on allegations of faking the arrest of an Allied Bank administration officer in a bid to dupe him of US$1 000 in a botched driver’s licence processing scam. Cuthbert Muchenjekwa (61) of Waterfalls, Harare, appeared before magistrate Mr Donald Ndirowei facing extortion charges and was remanded out of custody to July 9 on US$100 bail.
Mr Ndirowei ordered him to report once a week to the Police Criminal Investigations Department Frauds (Harare), to reside at his given address and not to interfere with witnesses.
Prosecutor Mr Farai Gatsi alleged that in 2012, the Allied Bank administration officer – whose name was not mentioned in court papers – enrolled at Target Driving School at Dublin House in Harare’s Central Business District.
The court heard that Muchenjekwa was the bank officer’s instructor until he completed his driving lessons in March 2013.
It is alleged that in November 2013, Muchenjekwa approached the bank employee at his workplace informing him that he intended to book a road test for him with the Vehicle Inspection Department in Chinhoyi.
Muchenjekwa allegedly demanded US$100 to facilitate the booking, which he received along with the bank official’s learner’s licence.
A few days letter, Muchenjekwa approached the man and asked him to complete forms that he said were from VID.
The court heard that on December 5, 2013, Muchenjekwa allegedly teamed up with three unknown accomplices who are still at large and equipped with the “VID forms” the bank official had filled in, approached the complainant at his workplace and identified themselves as detectives from Chinhoyi.
They said they were investigating a matter in which the man connived with Muchenjekwa to process a counterfeit driver’s licence.
They told the man that he was under arrest and demanded US$1 000 as a bribe for his release.
It is alleged that the complainant went to his house with the trio and gave them US$800.
The complainant allegedly paid another US$100 through a mobile payment system after the trio pestered him for the balance.
On realising that he had been duped, he made a police report.
Online Reporter