ZACC exhibit car towed away by civillians

Michael Mashiri

Two men, who allegedly wanted to take away exhibit from the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission, have been arrested for obstructing the course of justice.

Jossam Aarons, 59, of Corner Tongogara and Takwira Street and Privilege Mutibvu, 32, of Eastview, appeared in court charged with obstructing the course of justice.

They were ordered to appear in court on May 9.

The State alleges that in February, Zacc investigated several cases of fraud emanating from defrauding pensioners of their pension lump-sum pay-outs.

The investigations resulted in the arrest of one Tawanda Matau and Bernard Chizunza.

Their accomplices Luckmore Matuku and Precious Sunungurai Muzenda are still at large.

It is alleged that on February 11, Zacc investigation officers were informed that Matuku, an accomplice of Matau and Chizunza, had fled Harare and went to Matepatepa in Bindura in order to escape arrest.

As a result, four Zacc officers went to Matepatepa to arrest Matuku and seize a Nissan X-Trail which the men were using as transport when they were allegedly committing offences across the country.

However, the team could not locate Matuku in Matepatepa but were led to Gilati Farm in Glendale where Matuku had fled to.

The State alleges that Matuku identified the team's car from a distance and fled into the forest but left the locked Nissan X-Trail parked at the farm compound.

The team failed to take the car to Harare because there were no spare keys. As a result, they removed all wheels and computer box from the car and notified people at the farm that Zacc had seized the vehicle in connection with the cases they were investigating against Matuku and his accomplices.

It alleged that investigations also established that the car was registered in the name of one Shorai Grace Chaora, who said she had lent the car to Matuku.

The team told Chaora that her car was used as transport in commission of fraud offences under investigation and, as a result, was part of exhibits in those cases.

On March 30, at around 1730 hours, Zacc was called by one Shadreck Hilimid, who was left with the Nissan X-Trail at Gilati Farm, telling them that Aarons and Matibvu had come and towed the car from the farm compound.

Zacc told Hilimid to note the tow vehecle’s registration number, ask for the names of Aaron and Matibvu and where they wanted to take the car to.

However, Aaron and Matibvu refused to divulge their names or the place they wanted to take the car.

Hilimid insisted that the car was held as a Zacc exhibit in cases against Matuku but the two accused threatened him and told him to keep a distance from the car.

Zacc officers then made a swift response and drove to Glendale to intercept the accused persons.

They managed to identify the registration number of the car which was towing the X-Trail and followed it from a distance till it reached the toll gate.

They stopped the driver who then said he had been hired by the two accused who were in the car to take it to Snake Park in Harare where Matuku used to reside.

They then arrested the two accused and took the Nissan X-Trail to Zacc offices.