adminservices, appeared before Harare magistrate Ms Anita Tshuma. Prosecutor Mr Tapiwa Kasema submitted that the State intended to withdraw charges against him at the instigation of the complainants.
Ms Tshuma granted the State’s application and withdrew charges against Mupfanochiya. The complainants, ZBC chief correspondent Rueben Barwe and ZBC online manager Moses Charedzera, deposed affidavits confirming their intention to withdraw the charges against Mupfanochiya although they did not proffer any reasons.
Prosecutor Mr Kasema alleges that on December 18, 2010 Mupfanochiya approached Charedzera and discussed business matters.
Mupfanochiya, it is alleged, told Charedzera that he wanted him to invest in his business.
After pleading with him, the State says Charedzera gave the news anchor US$3 000.
Mupfanochiya allegedly asked for more money and Charedzera made a bank transfer of US$10 000 into his workmate’s CBZ account on December 26, 2010. The State
says Mupfanochiya promised to repay the money at the beginning of January last year, but he never did.
In January last year Charedzera asked for his money but Mupfanochiya could not pay. It is further alleged that from that time, Mupfanochiya showed no capacity to pay the money and the complainant realised he had been duped. Out of US$13 000, only US$4 000 was recovered after Charedzera reported the matter to the police.
In November last year, Mupfanochiya approached Barwe and they discussed business.
During the discussion, he asked Barwe to invest in his company and asked for US$20 000.
Barwe transferred the money into Mupfanochiya’s NMB bank account, it is alleged. After consultations in January this year, Barwe realised that he had been duped and demanded his money back.
Online Reporter