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Fungai Lupande Court Reporter
The trial of The Herald assistant news editor Takunda Maodza, who is accused of extortion, failed to kick-off yesterday after witnesses failed to turn up. Harare magistrate Ms Blessing Murwisi postponed the trial to January 12 next year. However, Ms Murwisi warned prosecutor Mr Nyikadzino Machingura that if he fails to proceed to trial on the remand date, Maodza would be removed from remand.
Mr Machingura said he failed to subpoena his witnesses and also that his key witness in the matter would be available early February next year. Maodza (35) is being represented by Mr Phelex Charamba.
It is alleged that Maodza blackmailed the director of Sam Levy’s Village Mr Isaac Levy into giving him money not to publish a news article branding him a supporter of the People First project linked to former Vice President Joice Mujuru.
He is facing attempted extortion charges. It is alleged that on November 3 at around 3pm, Maodza went to Sam Levy’s Village where he introduced himself as a journalist from The Herald who sought to know if it was true that Mr Levy supported People First and asked if he had been approached to become the treasurer of the project.
Mr Levy denied the allegations.
The court heard that Maodza went on to produce a letter dated October 21, 2015, addressed to “Hon Didymus Mutasa” with subject being “Treasurer’s Post — People First Project”.
It is alleged that Maodza then told Mr Levy that if he did not give him money, he would publish the story in The Herald. The court heard that Mr Levy scrutinised the letter and discovered that the letterhead and the signatures were fake. Mr Levy denied authoring the letter, but Maodza is said to have insisted that he had verified the document with Mutasa.
It is the State’s case that on a different day, Mr Levy asked to meet Maodza at Sam Levy’s Village and Mr Levy went with detectives to his meeting with Maodza, who allegedly demanded money from him. He did not mention the amount he wanted, the court heard.
It is the State’s case that Maodza was offered $700, but refused to be handed the money in Mr Levy’s office and suggested he be given the money outside the office. The State alleged that the conversation was recorded by a closed circuit television (CCTV) in Mr Levy’s office. Maodza was arrested after detectives intercepted him though he had not been given the money.
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