A FIVE–MAN armed robbery gang allegedly masquerading as military intelligence and police details name-dropped members of the First Family before extorting mining firms in the Matabeleland region.
Three of the suspects Munyaradzi Charakupa, Victor Jaja and Tawanda Mangi appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Evelyn Madzikatire yesterday charged with impersonating public officials, attempted extortion and extortion.
The suspects, who are being represented by Bryan Sengweni, were remanded in custody to tomorrow.
Investigating officer Superintendent Edmore Runganga told the court that the three were a flight risk since their suspected accomplices are still at large.
The suspects were exposed after they targeted some mines in which prominent Bulawayo lawyer Dumisani Dube is an interested party.
It is alleged that the suspects resorted to extorting money from the complainants to challenge a corporate rescue certificate that was held by Dube.
Runganga said if they were granted bail, they would interfere with witnesses since the racket seemed to be involving police officers and government officials.
The three were arrested after Dube went to Harare and engaged President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s son, Sean and the Attorney-General’s Office following endless extortion raids against mining firms in which Dube is an interested party.
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In his statement, Dube said Sean disowned the gang and he told him to report it.
Allegations are that in February this year, Jaja visited Dube’s office and introduced himself as former Officer-in-Charge Beitbridge police who was now attached to the President’s Office as a member of the Police Protection Unit.
He claimed to have been deployed to Sean’s security team, with Mangi as his immediate boss in the Office of the President.
It is the State’s case that they were in the company of Charakupa and Pemba, who claimed to be members of the military intelligence deployed to look after the late War Veterans permanent secretary Clive Mphambela’s interests in Matabeleland.
The court heard that they were in possession of a file with special grant applications for Matabeleland South province belonging to different individuals who included three of Dube’s professional mining clients.
They said the claims would be cancelled unless a protection fee of US$300 000 was paid to Sean, their boss.
In his statement signed at the CID Law and Order section, Dube said he refused to pay.
“A month later, on April 24, 2024, I was appointed corporate rescue practitioner of Fools Investment (Pvt) Ltd by Master of High Court under CRPB 1/24.The accused subsequently came to my office claiming to be directors of Fools Investment and demanded US$200 000 each. Jaja showed me an official card from the Office of the President as his identification,” the statement read.
On the third count, the court heard that they attempted to extort Dube’s client of US$800 000.
The prosecution alleged that on the fourth count, the accused and their accomplices, who are still at large, on July 23, 2024, threatened to kill Dube unless he gave in to their demands.
After the threats, Dube was ordered to surrender US$40 000 to Mangi.
On count five, the four also allegedly forced Dube to pay for their accommodation covering a period of three months they were on the alleged special operation.
Dube gave them US$4 000 and US$1 800 in the presence of Pemba and Daka after they threatened to kill him.
In total, they extorted US$55 300 from Dube on several occasions.
A report was made to the police, leading to the arrest of the three suspects.
