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Senior Court Reporter
A Central Intelligence Organisation officer accused of extorting two vehicles from a land developer on the pretext that he would provide personal security services to him, will know his fate today when a Harare magistrate makes a ruling on his application for discharge.
Nesbert Chinoputsa will know whether he has a case to answer or not when Mrs Noticia Shenje makes the ruling at the close of the State’s case.
Chinoputsa is charged with extortion after he allegedly forced Brian Michael Jackson to hand over a Mazda B2200 truck and a Nissan Bluebird sedan.
He is denying the charges.
He said evidence adduced from the State witnesses was unreliable for him to be put to his defence.
Chinoputsa said the star witness failed to state with precision, the exact threats he made.
“He instead mentioned threats made to his brother. There is no link between the threats made to the complainant’s brother and the complaint before the court,” he said.
The State led by Miss Belinda Chimuka opposed Chinoputsa’s application, saying the State witness proved that he instilled fear in Jackson, which resulted in him forcibly acquiring the said cars.
It is the State’s case that in 2019, Chinoputsa was asked by Jackson to provide personal security services.
This followed unusual and suspicious incidents at Jackson’s workplace and residence.
It is alleged that Chinoputsa instilled fear in Jackson by telling him that some people wanted to kill him. He told Jackson to surrender a car for security operations that would prevent recurrence of the unusual events.
In October 2020 and out of fear, Jackson allegedly gave Chinoputsa the Madza B2200 truck (ADF 0841). It is said in November 2020, Chinoputsa demanded another car and was given a Nissan Bluebird sedan with no registration numbers.
On January 7, 2022, Jackson reported the alleged extortion, leading to recovery of the cars at Chinoputsa’s residence in Kuwadzana Extension.
Online Reporter