Bopela sentenced to 5 months’ imprisonment over ch...

Bopela sentenced to 5 months’ imprisonment over child support

Zim Now Writer

Businessman Agrippa Bopela Masiyakurima has been sentenced to five months in prison, which were wholly suspended on condition that he settles outstanding school fees for his three children

On February 28, the Harare Civil Court ordered Bopela to pay school fees for the couple’s three minor children.

The amounts were US$3 370 to St Johns College, US$2 330 to St Johns Preparatory and US$2 353 to Chisipite Junior School.

He partially complied with the order compelling the magistrate to hand down the latest ruling.

Bopela is no stranger to controversy.

He won a tender to install boosters for NetOne under irregular circumstances through his close association to then chief executive Reward Kangai, who ran the State entity like a personal business.

In July this year, Bopela was caught with US$153 000 in Eswatini as he attempted to leave the country with the suspected ill-gotten money.

He was in the company of self-exiled former minister Godfrey Gandawa, who is a person of interest in the country after he skipped bail in a massive fraud case.

After police officers stationed at the airport seized the money, the director of public prosecution swiftly ran to court for an order to have it formally kept by the police pending further investigations into its source and destination.

It is suspected that the money was obtained through illicit means, it is proceeds of ill-gotten activities, money laundering or possibly to finance terrorism.

According to our sources, Bopela through his company, Bopela Group, has won tenders in Ethiopia, which is his current major cash cow.

He recently made headlines for labelling local journalists “poor” and his “no love lost” relationship with former minister Supa Mandiwanzira is an open secret.