Wendall case: Cop abruptly resigns

Court Reporter
A senior police officer assisted former Big Brother winner Wendall Parsons to endorse a wrong accident date and abruptly resigned from the force as investigations closed in on him, the court heard. This emerged in the ongoing trial of Wendall and his brother William who are facing charges of fraud involving more than US$20 000 in a car insurance scandal.

Testifying in court, former Inspector Rodrick Mandichoro told the court that Assistant Inspector Moses Mukwazhi supplied Wendall and his brother with accident dates that would tally with the insurance claim.

“I was approached by CID fraud indicating that they are investigating a case of fraud involving a senior Assistant Inspector Mukwazhi.
“Allegations were that Asst Insp Mukwazhi manufactured dates for the accident so that the accused documents tally with their insurance claim. It so happened that he was also the one who attended the accident scene,” he said.

Asst Insp Mukwazhi actions were not above board, the court heard.
“We realised that the actual date of the accident was March 16 not 28 and both dates are on the police report and Mukwazhi only appended his signature on one date. Asst Insp Mukwazhi was not in a position to fill in the report because all accidents are attended to by the traffic department.”

During cross examination, the Parsons brothers’ lawyer Mr Harrison Nkomo asked Asst Insp Mandichori to explain whether at the time of the accident Wendall’s Ford Ranger was insured.

Insp Mandichoro said he could not comment on that because he was not part of the investigations.
Prosecutor Ms Constance Ngombengombe communicated her intention to subpoena Asst Insp Mukwazhi as the next witness.

The request was opposed by Mr Nkomo who said Asst Insp Mukwazhi was not on the list of witnesses to be called.
This comes amid claims by the defence that the error in dates was a genuine mistake done by the police officer which Wendall simply followed.

Magistrate Mr Elijah Makomo ruled that Asst Insp Mukwazhi should be called and he asked both the State and defence counsel to make submissions on whether at law Asst Insp Mukwazhi is able to testify.

The matter was adjourned to October 9 for continuation.
Ms Ngombengombe alleges that on March 16 this year, Wendall’s brother, William was involved in an accident while driving the former’s car, a Ford Ranger. The accident was reported at Borrowdale Police Station and it is alleged that on the day the accident occurred, Wendall’s vehicle was not insured.

Afterwards, it is alleged that Wendall connived with his brother and hatched a plan to defraud Alliance Insurance Pvt Ltd. On March 18, William allegedly went to the insurance brokers where he applied for insurance for the Ford Ranger together with two other trailers.