Source: CIO trio in dock on robbery, extortion charges -Newsday Zimbabwe

THREE state security agents who are attached to the Presidential Guard appeared in court yesterday on charges of extorting money from a Chinese national and robbing him of US$2,800.

Chamunorwa Victor Chinorwiwa (32), Hilary Maravanyika (28) and Tawanda Ngoshi (39) appeared before Harare Regional Magistrate Marehwanazvo Gofa who remanded them in custody until today pending a decision on their application , where they contested their placement in preventive detention.

The applicant is Enjie Zhang (49), a Chinese national.

Prosecutor Anesu Chirenje said on October 19 that the three went to Murodzi Mining Claim in Concession, Mazowe District using a dark blue Toyota Hilux GD-6 double cab vehicle which had no number plates.

When they got there, Chirenje said, the agents identified themselves as Central Intelligence Organization officers who were on duty and allegedly ordered Zhang and the 25 mine workers to the ground.

They were brandishing guns.

According to court documents, the trio threatened to shoot Zhang or his miners if he tried to flee.

They also allegedly ordered Zhang and his Chinese nationals who were present to produce their identity documents, mining certificates and work permits.

The court heard that Zhang and his counterparts produced their identity documents but failed to produce their mining certificates and work permits which they said were in the custody of Ms Hu, the managing director, who was in Harare.

The agents allegedly accused Zhang of conducting illegal mining operations in the area and demanded that he pay $2,000 in cash in order to be released.

They allegedly asked Zhang to contact Hu to bring the bribe money.

One of the state agents, a Zimbabwean who is already in pre-trial detention, allegedly spoke to Hu through Zhang’s phone to deliver the bribe money to Ngoshi.

It is alleged that Hu then contacted Godfrey Zambuko, an employee of Holden Field Investments, who was in Harare, and asked him to go to Zimbabwe House to hand over the US$2 000 bribe money to Ngoshi.

The state alleged that Zambuko went to Zimbabwe House and gave the money to Ngoshi.

The court heard the trio allegedly extorted money from another Chinese national, Hang Hainglin, who escaped from the mine site and went to a nearby mine site where he was given $1,000 for state agents.

Kelvinator Don Paricha, hired as an interpreter, gave them US$800, which led to the release of Zhang and the other miners.

Chirenje further stated that on October 21, the accused called Zambuko inviting him to go to Zimbabwe House where they wanted to discuss with him additional bribe money.

On 22 October, Zambuko informed Isheanesu Kufakunesu of the President’s Department about the matter and the two went to Zimbabwe House where they met Simbabure, which led to their arrest.

Simbabure implicated other agents of the state, leading to their arrest.