A 17-YEAR-OLD boy appeared in court facing charges of allegedly impersonating a police officer and attempting to extort US$20 from the complainant Lyndah Manjeru.
The background to the case is that sometime in August last year, Manjeru allegedly hired Talent Charumbira to construct a fowl run for her and promised to pay him later in December.
The state being represented by prosecutor Sharon Mhlanga told the court that the accused, who is a cousin to Charumbira, allegedly lied to him that he was a police officer from the anti-corruption division after he had confided in him about the money Manjeru owed him.
The accused allegedly promised Charumbira that he would help him recover the US$70 due to him for the services he rendered to Manjeru.
The state further alleges around late December, the juvenile contacted Manjeru and introduced himself as an officer from the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc) by the name Magaya.
The juvenile is reported to have told Manjeru that he was carrying out investigations in a matter reported to Zacc where she was reported to have defaulted in paying builders who had constructed a house for her.
The court papers allege the accused then ordered Manjeru to pay the debt and further requested that she pay US$20 for him to close the docket without arresting her.
It is further alleged the youngster would call Manjeru countless times requesting for the money and threatening to arrest her if she did not comply.
After noticing the undue pressure she was receiving from the accused, Manjeru allegedly reported the matter to Zacc and a trap was set up.
Manjeru in connivance with the detectives from Zacc organised a meeting where Manjeru pretended she wanted to pay the juvenile the US$20.
The young man allegedly arrived at the scene and accepted the US$20 from Manjeru resulting in the detectives arresting him on the spot.
Upon apprehension, the juvenile allegedly lied about his name and told the detectives that he was in the area to visit his father’s farm.
The detectives allegedly paid a visit to Charumbira (accused’s cousin) who then divulged the accused’s real name and address and went on to tell the police all the events that had happened prior to the youngster’s arrest.
But when the detectives went to the accused’s home, his mother allegedly claimed that she was not related to him.
by
Dionne Kanyowa
STAFF WRITER