adminIvan Zhakata Harare Bureau
AN EMPLOYEE of the Zimbabwe Electricity Distribution and Transmission Company (ZETDC) allegedly killed an unidentified man and faked his own death before swindling Old Mutual Funeral Services of $70,000, the Harare Magistrates’ Court has heard.
David Garudza yesterday appeared before magistrate Elijah Makomo facing charges of murder, fraud and unlawful possession of a firearm.
He will be back in court on Friday after the court granted the police a warrant of further detention to allow for the completion of investigations.
The court heard that between March 11 and June 11 last year, Garudza who was employed by ZETDC as a meter reader opened an Old Mutual Funeral Benefit Plan with a cover of $70,000.
He allegedly listed his wife, Primerose Jecha, 22, and his two children in the plan.
Prosecutor Sebastian Mutizirwa alleges that on July 12 the same year, Garudza in the company of his two brothers Bernard and Brian, Obert Chingaipe and Alex Mhlanga killed a yet-to-be-identified man in Mutare and took his corpse using a hired vehicle to their rural home in Rusape.
On arrival at Takunda Dam in Odzi, Mutare, it is alleged that Garudza placed the body of the dead man in the driver’s seat before pushing the car off the road purporting that it had been involved in an accident.
He later burned the vehicle leaving the corpse burnt beyond recognition, the court heard.
Jecha, acting on Garudza’s instructions, then went to Old Mutual in Mutare and claimed that her husband died in a traffic accident near Takunda Dam before claiming the cover.
Jecha was carrying her husband’s policy documents, a certified copy of Garudza’s death certificate, a police traffic accident report, copies of her and Garudza’s identity cards and proof of residence.
On February 23, this year, Jecha was given $70,000 by Old Mutual as cover for her husband’s death.
On October 5, police officers acting on a tip off intercepted Garudza at Fourth Street bus terminus in Harare and arrested him.
He was found in possession of a 9mm Star pistol loaded with a magazine holding two rounds of ammunition.
Online Reporter