adminZvikomborero Parafini
TWO Harare men appeared in court over the weekend for allegedly extorting popular businessman, Scott Sakupwanya, of Better Brands Jewellery.
The two, Tendai Munengwa, a Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation senior reporter, and Henry Kachere, an intelligence officer, appeared before magistrate Yeukai Dzuda, who remanded them in custody to today for bail considerations.
The court heard that the duo connived to extort money from Sakupwanya by threatening to expose some sensitive classified information about illegal gold dealings allegedly happening at his company.
Munengwa is said to have approached Sakupwanya and demanded US$25 000 so that he could bring the classified documents and cause its destruction after payment.
As a result of the undue pressure exerted on him, Sakupwanya indicated that he could afford US$15 000.
Munengwa allegedly accepted the money and indicated that he was going to bring the CIO officers handling the matter to his office on February 9.
On the same day, police obtained a trap authority, and Sakupwanya gave the money to his security officer, Tozivepi Milward, to give the money to the two.
It is alleged that Munengwa and Kachere went to Better Brands offices in Greendale where Kachere showed Milward the file, which they claimed contained incriminating information.
Milward then handed over the trap money to Munengwa.
The police reacted promptly and arrested the two at the scene.
The trap money was recovered from Munengwa.
Mathew Masinge
Online Reporter