Three in court over US$100k extortion

Naume Dube (31) and Victoria Shonhiwa (36) now await sentencing after they were remanded in custody by a Harare magistrate.

Prosper Dembedza-Herald Correspondent

THREE people have appeared in court on allegations of extorting US$100 000 from a suspected thief to stop them reporting her to the police.

Elizabeth Nyamande (35), Evernice Nyamande (30) and Emmanuel Ngorima (38) were yesterday charged with extortion when they appeared before Harare magistrate Mrs Marehwanazvo Gofa who set bail at US$500 each.

It is the State’s case that the three heard that the complainant (who is not named) was in possession of a large sum of money she had stolen from an unknown person in South Africa.

The trio approached the complainant and demanded US$100 000 cash so that they would not report her to the police.

It is alleged that the complainant gave the three money and they used some of it to buy motor vehicles.

Officers from CID Homicide conducted investigations leading to the recovery of a Mazda Atenza from Nyamande, a Toyota Corolla Axio from Evernice Nyamande and a Toyota Corolla together with US$2000 from Ngorima.

All the property was bought by money from extortion.