Two members of the presidential guard and three officers from the Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) are facing serious allegations for reportedly extorting $2,000 from a Chinese miner, who subsequently delivered the bribe at Zimbabwe House.
The accused individuals are Chamunorwa Victor Chinorwiwa, 32, Hilary Maravanyika, 28, Tawanda Ngoshi, 39, Samuel Zvishamiso Simbabure, and Respect Zuva, whose age remains unspecified.
Simbabure and Zuva were presented in court last week, while their co-accused appeared later before magistrate Marehwanazvo Gofa.
All five are expected to return to court on Tuesday for a ruling regarding their request to be released from remand, and they are also charged with robbery.
As outlined by the prosecution, on October 19, 2024, around noon, the group allegedly conspired to visit the Murodzi mining claim in Mazowe.
They purportedly identified themselves as members of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) on official duty.
The group ordered the miner, Enjie Zhang, along with his 25 workers, to gather and sit together. “Simbabure, the first accused, warned the victims to remain still, threatening to shoot if anyone tried to escape while displaying a firearm at his waist,” the prosecution stated.
The accused demanded that Zhang and his fellow Chinese nationals, including Jinliang Xue, Hang Hainglin, and Shan Dong Zhou, present their identification, mining certificates, and work permits. The miners showed their IDs but claimed their certificates and permits were with their general manager, identified as Hu, who was in Harare.
The accused alleged that the group was illegally mining in the area and requested a cash payment of $2,000 to release them. They instructed Zhang to contact Hu to arrange for the bribe, which he did, according to court documents.
The court was informed that Simbabure used Zhang’s phone to communicate with Hu, instructing her to deliver the money to Ngoshi. Hu then contacted informant Godfrey Zambuko, an employee of Holden Field Investments, directing him to take the $2,000 to Zimbabwe House.
“Zambuko proceeded to Zimbabwe House, where he handed over the $2,000 to Ngoshi, who is currently unaccounted for,” prosecutors alleged.
Additionally, it was reported that Hang Hainglin, a Chinese national who managed to escape, went to another mining site owned by Holden Field Investments, where he received $1,000 from another Chinese individual to pass along to the accused in exchange for their freedom.
Kelvinator Don Paricha, an interpreter for the Chinese company, reportedly delivered $800 to the accused, resulting in the release of Zhang and the other workers.
The accused then fled the scene in a getaway vehicle.
On October 21, 2024, Simbabure allegedly contacted informant Zambuko, inviting him to Zimbabwe House to discuss an additional bribe. The following day, Zambuko informed Isheanesu Kufakunesu from the President’s Department about the situation, leading both to Zimbabwe House, where they encountered the accused and facilitated their arrest. Upon apprehension, the accused implicated four accomplices who are still at large.