Allegations have emerged that a businesswoman is using the names of prominent individuals, including President Emmerson Mnangagwa, to lay siege to a Chinese coal mine in Hwange, where she has been confiscating coke since last week.
Gutai Lisa Marie Marupavadzo is said to have taken about 700 tons of coke worth US$300,000 from the Hwang Coal Gasification Company (HCGC) in the company of thugs, and sometimes police officers, claiming that it was part of an agreement she reached with the company in December of the year Past to provide security services.
Coke is coal residue and is used as a fuel as well as a reducing agent in the smelting of iron ore in a blast furnace.
Marupavadzo, who was previously linked to a multi-million dollar scandal that rocked Kotko, is said to have told the HCGC during the raids that she was untouchable because she had close ties to Mnangagwa and Commissioner-General of Police Godwin Matanga.
National Police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi told NewsDay on Monday that the woman was a fraud.
“The Commissioner-General does not know this woman and does not have any ties or relationships with her,” Nyathi said.
He added: “We also want to say that according to the information available to us as police in this case, His Excellency the President has no relationship with the woman.”
Nyathi said the police were aware of the quarrel between Mafarovo and HCGC over coke.
HCGC at the weekend wrote to police in Matabeleland North province seeking their intervention to prevent Marupavadzo from forcibly taking coke from the mine and disrupting operations.
This came after violent clashes broke out at the mine last Thursday, with Marupavadzo forcefully taking more coke from the company after it obtained a High Court order allowing it access to 700 tons of coke.
HCGC said it was never aware of the court’s request, adding that it was not given the opportunity to oppose it.
The company said it suspected Marupavadzo of obtaining the court order fraudulently.
Nyathi said police were able to temporarily prevent Marupavadzo from consuming more coke after the coal company indicated it intended to appeal the court ruling.
“Police were at the scene and were able to temporarily prevent the woman from taking any more cocaine until the matter was heard in court,” Nyathi said.
“The officer commanding Matabeleland North Province had to intervene, because we cannot allow violence to take center stage.
“This is because as police, we do not condone violence. Both parties should ensure that their dispute is resolved amicably. We intervene to stop the violence, and the parties must involve the police and not resort to violence.
“When there are urgent issues, parties must resort to the courts.
“Otherwise, we will not take sides in this case.”
Nyathi warned the public against using the names of prominent figures to commit crimes.
“We want to warn members of the public against dropping names and smearing the names of innocent people,” he said. “If we ask these people to prove their claims, we will find them wanting.”
HCGC is run by Chinese national Feng Guo, and the company says Maropafadzo’s actions will worsen relations between Harare and Beijing.
The company reported her to the police for theft under a log report Number 5755005.
“We received the court order in case HCGC371/24 by the Sheriff unexpectedly on 23 February 2024,” part of the letter to police read.
“The order appears bogus on the face of it as no service of service has been served on HCGC and no decision has been taken to grant the order.
“Although we respect the court, we believe that violations of the order should be carefully examined in order to protect the interests of our company as well as maintain justice.” Efforts to obtain comment from Maropafadzo were unsuccessful. She requested written questions when contacted by NewsDay yesterday. However, the businesswoman did not respond to the questions asked. Newsday
