Siphakeme .Mnindwa
Peter Matika, [email protected]
TWO workers at Bulawayo High Court have been arraigned before the courts on charges of criminal abuse of office.
The duo is accused of defrauding a complainant of US$1 974 purporting it was the amount needed for his civil case which was no longer in the High Court records to be re-instated.
Caesar Nkomo (63) of Njube suburb and Shingirai Mupunga (29) from Nkulumane 12 in Bulawayo, were not asked to plead to the charges when they briefly appeared before regional magistrate Mrs Sibonginkosi Mnkandla yesterday.
They were remanded in custody to today for a bail hearing. Nkomo who is employed as High Court assessor and Mupunga who is a Judicial Service Commission research assistant, were arrested on Monday following internal investigations over the matter after the complainant raised alarm.
Prosecuting, Miss Siphiwe Mkandla, told the court that the pair committed the offence between last year and this year.
“During the year 2021, the complainant filed a civil case at Bulawayo High Court. He later found out that his matter was no longer in the court system.
“Sometime in November 2024 the complainant approached Nkomo who was his tenant and enquired from him about his case,” said Miss Mkandla.
She said Nkomo told the complainant that the High Court Registrar wanted US$20 as a search fee which complainant paid.
Miss Mkandla said on the same day Nkomo further demanded a top-up of US$20 from the complainant, claiming that the search fee had been reviewed upwards.
“The complainant further paid an additional US$20 to Nkomo who told him that the receipt was to be issued once a confirmation message had been sent to his email account,” she said.
Miss Mkandla said Nkomo did so well knowing that the High Court does not charge any fee for checking of the status quo for cases.
She said in a bid to defraud the complainant of his money, Nkomo later introduced Mupunga as the High Court Registrar in Bulawayo.
“Mupunga then demanded US$450 from the complainant, which he said was for his case to be re-instated in the High Court system,” said Miss Mkandla.
She said the complainant then paid US$434 using his EcoCash.
“On the 13th of this month Mupunga summoned the complainant to his office where he further demanded cash amounting to US$1 500,” said Miss Mkandla.
He indicated to the complainant that the amount was going to be given to the Judge who was going to preside over the case. Desperate for help, the complainant on the same day paid the US$1 500.
“On the 17th of this month the complainant visited the High Court where he later learned that Mupunga was not a High Court Registrar but a Judicial Service Commission Research assistant attached to a High Court Judge,” said Miss Mkandla.
She said after making the shocking discovery the complainant reported the matter to police leading to the arrest of the accused.
The total money paid by the complainant is US$1 974 and nothing was recovered.
Nkomo is being represented by Ms Anna Kunda of Mhaka Attorneys while Mupunga is represented by Mr Kholwani Ngwenya of TJ Mabhikwa and Partners.
Online Reporter