Two in court for forging CIO identity card

Michael Mashiri

Two people have been taken to court accused of forging CIO identification cards.

Guide Merejara, 57, of Warren Park 1 and Gladys Matope, 41, of Budiriro 4B, appeared before magistrate Dennis Mangosi at the Harare Magistrates’ Courts charged with forgery.

They were remanded in custody.

The State, through prosecutor Rufaro Chonzi, alleges that on January 25, 2024, one Tafadzwa Chitsinde, who is still at large, sent a picture of Washington Mavhiki and his EC number to Matopeso that he would give Merejara to print an alleged forged Central Intelligence Organisation identification card for Mavhiki.

Merejara allegedly went to the informant at Runako Printing and Design at corner Jason Moyo and Mbuya Nehanda and threatened him that he was from the President’s Office and told him to print the CIO card for Mavhiki.

He said for the payment of services, he would collect it at CIO offices at Harare Central Police Station yard.

The informant printed the CIO identity card and gave it to Merejara and he went away.

After some time, the employer to the informant asked for the payment and instructed him to go and collect the US$10 for the services offered from the CIO offices.

That is when it was realised that the accused persons were not members of the CIO, leading to their arrest.