adminLeonard Ncube Victoria Falls Reporter
THE 24-year-old Harare man who was arrested for allegedly posing as a member of the Presidential Guard during the Sadc Summit held in Victoria Falls last month has disappeared. Ison Chirikutsi of Budiriro 4 who was allegedly discharged from the Zimbabwe National Army but continued using the army’s identification cards, defaulted court last week.
He had been granted $50 bail on his initial appearance before Victoria Falls Resident magistrate Sharon Rosemani.
A warrant of arrest was issued against him and his whereabouts are still not known.
Chirikutsi was arrested at a roadblock along the Victoria Falls-Kazungula Road on August 18 after claiming to police officers manning a roadblock that he was coming from Elephant Hills, the venue of the summit. He claimed he was stationed there as a member of the Presidential Guard.
Chirikutsi was charged with unlawful possession of a document issued in connection with the defence forces or other military forces. He pleaded not guilty to the crime claiming: “I was not discharged. I am still a soldier on suspension pending appeal.”
Particulars of the case as alleged by the state are that Chirikutsi was discharged from the ZNA 2.1 Infantry Battalion in Mutoko and as such was unlawfully in possession of army identity documents.
It is alleged on August 18 the accused approached police officers manning a roadblock at the 69km peg along Victoria Falls-Kazungula Road and identified himself to Detective Assistant Inspector Dhliwayo as a soldier stationed at the Presidential Guard in Harare.
He said he had been deployed to Elephant Hills base for Sadc duty. An alert police officer suspected that Chirikutsi was an impostor and recovered a ZNA identity card bearing his name after searching him.
Inquiries were made with Presidential Guard officers at Elephant Hills who confirmed Chirikutsi had been discharged and was no longer employed as a soldier.
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