Harare Magistrate Isheunesu Matova has ordered the State to kickstart the trial for Patrick Mutenha, alias Chimpa, who is facing two serious charges of extortion and contravening Section 6 of the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe’s Microfinance Act [Chapter 24:29].
Mutenha was nabbed in a movie-style operation by the CID Vehicle Theft Squad crack team in April last year after youthful petroleum trader Shingai Levison Muringi had reported him for extortion and intimidation through name-dropping.
Detectives from the CID Vehicle Theft Squad have successfully obtained key evidence needed by the state to solidify its cases against Mutenha.
Details are that Mutenha advanced Muringi a loan of USD35,000.00 (popularly known as chimbadzo), and the young businessman pledged his Toyota Hilux GD6 as surety. On the 27th of April 2024, Muringi repaid the loan to the tune of USD55,000.00, including the interest accrued for a duration of two months.
Upon repaying the loan, Muringi demanded his vehicle back, but Mutenha refused to hand it back, citing that he needed an extra USD 15,000.00, saying he was untouchable while name-dropping the First Family and popular gold dealer Scott Sakupwanya. The dishonest act prompted Muringi to take up the matter with the police, leading to Mutenha’s arrest.
The State is the complainant in the charge of contravening Section 6 (1) (a) (2) of the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe’s Microfinance Act [Chapter 24:29] and is represented by RBZ’s Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU), Shingai Levison Muringi, and the CID Vehicle Theft Squad as its complainants.
On the charge of extortion as defined in Section 134 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform Act), Chapter 9:23, Mutenha will be put to the strictest of tests by the evidence of young businessman Shingai Levison Muringi, who is the complainant. The case will also see top detectives from the CID Cyber Forensics Unit testifying against Mutenha.
In a bid to try and cover up his shenanigans, Mutenha went on to open a counter-fraud report against Muringi. However, the matter was dismissed by the court through a further refusal of remand in favour of Muringi after Mutenha failed numerous times to turn up for trial to prove his false claims and feared being shamed in court by Muringi’s adept legal defence team, led by prolific Harare lawyer Mr. Claude Bare of Claude, Petronellah & Nomazulu At Law.
We shall be giving you detailed updates as the trial unfolds. Stay tuned.
