A five-member armed robbery gang allegedly posed as military intelligence and police officers, claiming connections to members of the First Family, to extort money from mining companies in the Matabeleland region.
Three suspects, Munyaradzi Charakupa, Victor Jaja, and Tawanda Mangi, appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Evelyn Madzikatire, facing charges of impersonating public officials, attempted extortion, and extortion.
Represented by Bryan Sengweni, the suspects were remanded in custody until tomorrow. Investigating officer Superintendent Edmore Runganga argued that the suspects posed a flight risk, as some of their alleged accomplices are still at large.
The group was exposed after targeting mines associated with prominent Bulawayo lawyer Dumisani Dube. The suspects allegedly attempted to extort money from victims to contest a corporate rescue certificate held by Dube.
Runganga expressed concerns that if released on bail, the suspects might interfere with witnesses, as the scheme appeared to involve police officers and government officials.
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The arrests followed Dube’s intervention in Harare, where he consulted Sean Mnangagwa, President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s son, and the Attorney-General’s Office, after enduring repeated extortion attempts against mining companies in which he had interests.
According to Dube’s statement, Sean Mnangagwa disavowed the group and advised him to report the matter.
The charges allege that in February of this year, Jaja visited Dube’s office, falsely presenting himself as a former Officer-in-Charge of Beitbridge police now working with the President’s Office and claiming to be part of Sean Mnangagwa’s security detail, with Mangi as his supervisor in the Office of the President.
The State claims that Charakupa and Pemba, who were allegedly part of the group, posed as military intelligence officers protecting the interests of the late War Veterans permanent secretary Clive Mphambela in Matabeleland.
The court was told that the gang possessed a file containing special grant applications for Matabeleland South province belonging to various individuals, including three of Dube’s mining clients. They allegedly threatened that the claims would be revoked unless a “protection fee” of US$300,000 was paid to Sean Mnangagwa.
Dube’s statement, recorded at the CID Law and Order section, states that he refused to pay.
A month later, on April 24, 2024, Dube was appointed corporate rescue practitioner for Fools Investment (Pvt) Ltd by the Master of the High Court under CRPB 1/24. The accused subsequently visited his office, claiming to be directors of Fools Investment and demanding US$200,000 each. Jaja reportedly showed an identification card from the Office of the President.
In another incident, the suspects attempted to extort US$800,000 from one of Dube’s clients. On the fourth count, they and their accomplices, who remain at large, allegedly threatened to kill Dube on July 23, 2024, if he did not comply with their demands.
Following the threats, Dube was allegedly forced to hand over US$40,000 to Mangi.
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In a separate instance, the suspects reportedly coerced Dube into covering their accommodation costs for a three-month period during their purported special operation. Dube gave them US$4,000 and US$1,800 in the presence of Pemba and Daka after they threatened his life.
Overall, they are accused of extorting US$55,300 from Dube across multiple occasions.
Dube reported the incidents to the police, leading to the arrest of the three suspects.
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