A policeman, who was part of the operation that led to the arrest and prosecution of senior ZBC reporter, Tendai Muningwa, on extortion charges, has given a detailed explanation of how the trap was set and carried out.
Muningwa faces joint charges with intelligence officer Henry Kashiri.
They are accused of trying to extort US$15,000 from businessman Scott Sakubuanya in exchange for suppressing “sensitive confidential information” about “illegal gold dealings” by one of his companies.
Reginald Mononoke, the policeman who was part of the team that carried out the trap, said:
It was on February 8 last year when our office received information that the two were extorting US$15,000 from the complainant.
“They claimed to have sensitive confidential information about illegal gold dealings by Better Brands.
“The duo threatened to go public with ‘illegal transactions’ if he refused to pay the US$15,000, and then the trap was set.
“The trap team consisted of four law and order CID officers, including myself, and armed with the trap authority, we went to the Better Brands office in Greendale.
“We met the security officer in Sakopoanya, Mayward Tuzevibe, who stated that his employer had allowed him to carry out the trap.
“We have made necessary arrangements on how to carry out the trap and the money for the trap has been handed over to Tuzevibe,” he said.
Mononoke, who has 24 years of experience in the police service, said that when the two arrived, Kashiri was carrying a box file which they claimed contained an incriminating offence.
“They sat in the sitting room. I personally saw Kachere hand over the file to Tozivepi and the trap money was handed over to Tendai Munengwa.
“Tozevibe gave us the signal that he had handed over the trap money, and that is when we immediately entered the sitting room.
“I searched Munenjwa and extracted money from his left pocket.
“The box file, written ‘CIO Top Secret’, was with Tozivepi and Detective Sergeant Mutsambi open, and Detective Inspector Mukohwa told them that they had received decoy money and presented the decoy authority which he read to them.
“They did not recognize the authority of the trap and refused to sign.
“They were subsequently arrested for extortion.”
Defense lawyers questioned Mononoke as to why he did not produce the trap money or the alleged file the existence of which the accused denied in their defense memorandum.
The trials resume on Tuesday when Sakupoanya is scheduled to give evidence. h metro
