Fake CIOs in the dock

TWO extortionists appeared in court last Saturday facing charges of extorting US$900 from a Chikanga man.

The pair — Knowledge Gohwa (30) and Jeremiah Murakate (29) — were not asked to plead when they appeared before Mutare magistrate, Miss Prisca Tendai Manhibi.

They were remanded out of custody to June 14 on $500 bail each.

Gohwa and Murakate were ordered not to interfere with State witnesses and to continue residing at their given addresses.

Allegations are that the pair, who were in the company of three others, allegedly extorted US$900 from a Chikanga man who had failed to produce receipts of the cement he was offloading at a local shop.

Their accomplice, Tendai Chitewo, has already appeared in court while two others are still at large.

Representing the State was Mr Nyasha Gerald Mukonyora.

Mr Mukonyora told the court that on March 6, the five members of the national security forces approached Gift Nyambayo as he was offloading cement from his truck. “The five identified themselves as agents from the President’s Office. They claimed that they were enforcing an operation and demanded to see the receipts for the cement.

“When Nyambayo failed to produce the receipts, the five told him that he was under arrest and ordered him to accompany them to Mutare Central Police Station,” said Mr Mukonyora.

On their way to the station, the quintet is alleged to have demanded a bribe from the complainant in order to release him.

Nyambayo allegedly offered to pay them US$100 but Gohwa, Murakate and their accomplices insisted on US$900.

Nyambayo called his friend, Clever Masara, who then brought the US$900.

Upon receiving the money, the five men then dropped Nyambayo and drove off.