By A Correspondent

The accused alleges that he and his wife were subjected to brutal violence following Zimbabwe’s 2017 military coup. He claims to have been assaulted and witnessed his wife being severely beaten.

Fearing for their lives and lacking formal travel documents, the couple fled Zimbabwe using makeshift boats to cross the border into South Africa in 2018. The accused reportedly became fluent in local languages and integrated into the community.

The accused’s wife later returned to Zimbabwe on her own and died shortly after. The accused couldn’t return for her funeral due to his undocumented status, and his in-laws allegedly withheld his identity documents as punishment.

In March 2025, the Zimbabwe Republic Police issued a press statement naming the accused in a criminal case. Simultaneously, Honest Sibanda filed a fraud complaint against the accused in South Africa, submitting falsified identity documents under the name Jeremiah Masiwa.

The accused was arrested in Johannesburg after being lured to a meeting by Honest Sibanda from April 13-16, 2025. Correct identity documents were later submitted to the court, replacing the fraudulent ones, and were accepted by the Magistrates’ Court.

During the May 14, 2025, hearing, the magistrate reviewed the newly submitted documents and expressed satisfaction that they reflected the accused’s true identity.

The accused denies being Jeremiah Masiwa, questioning the State’s grounds for his arrest: “If I am not Jeremiah, who exactly did they arrest? Who did they say I was when they had me arrested?”

A bail hearing is scheduled for next Tuesday to determine whether the State will consent to or oppose bail.