adminPatrick Chitumba Midlands Bureau Chief
A GWERU magistrate has issued a warrant of arrest against a man who impersonated a B-Metro reporter to extort $1,200 from a Catholic nun.
Mike Chimutanda, 41, of Acacia Grove in Marondera and who is facing one count of extortion, was due to appear before regional magistrate Musaiwona Shotgame yesterday for judgment.
Chimutanda, who pleaded not guilty and was representing himself during his trial, was out of custody on $100 bail.
His name was called three times before prosecutor Ernest Muzembi applied for a warrant of arrest for defaulting court.
Shotgame immediately issued the warrant of arrest.
At the close of the State case, the court heard that Chimutanda allegedly told Sister Concilia Jangara, the headmistress of Regina Mundi Girls’ High School, that he had indecent pictures of her.
He allegedly demanded $1,208 from the Roman Catholic Church nun to stop publishing the photos.
The court heard how he somehow opened a CABS account in the name of a Showan Ndlovu, one of his alleged accomplices.
During Chimutanda’s trial, detectives told the court that Ndlovu and his given national identity card number does not exist on the National Registrar’s records.
Initially, Chimutanda was charged with extortion together with Tsitsi Kahari, a CABS Textacash agent.
Kahari later turned State witness.
Chimutanda asked Sister Jangara to deposit the money into the CABS account and he transferred it to Kahari’s account from which it was withdrawn, the court heard.
Chimutanda’s wife has since repaid the money.
Prosecutors called Detective Assistant Inspector Amos Mushayavanhu who told the court that Chimutanda was the sophisticated mastermind in the commission of the crime.
Det Asst Insp Mushayavanhu said after receiving the complaint from Sister Jangara, he checked with CABS for Ndlovu’s personal details.
“An account with the name Showan Ndlovu exists but the address given, Number 2 Nhira, Marondera, doesn’t exist,” said the detective.
“The national identity card number 18-152117-N- 79 used to open the account with Cabs doesn’t belong to anyone, according to correspondence I received from the registrar’s office.
“So there’s no Showan Ndlovu with that address and national identification number.”
He said after locating Kahari in Marondera, she indicated that she had been introduced to Chimutanda by her relative Marvellous Makavi before giving him her CABS ATM card.
Det Asst Insp Mushayavanhu said the person who appeared on the bank’s CCTV withdrawing the money was not Chimutanda but someone he had tasked to do his “dirty work.”
The detective told the court how he had to jump over a precast wall to arrest Chimutanda after his wife lied that he was not at home.
In defence, Chimutanda said: “I was expecting money from Mapfune and asked for the ATM card. I paid back the money to show that I didn’t intend to con the complainant.
“I’m popular in Marondera, I’m a music promoter and wouldn’t do this.”
Prosecuting, Muzembi told the court that in July this year, Kahari allegedly connived with Chimutanda to steal from the Regina Mundi School headmistress.
“Chimutanda told Sister Jangara that he was going to assist in stopping the publication of the story and her nude photos provided she paid $1,208, which the headmistress paid into a CABS account.
“The matter came to light when Sister Jangara called B-Metro offices and discovered Chimutanda was not employed by the publication,” said Muzembi.
Online Reporter