Charumbira arrested

News
ZANU PF activist Magura Charumbira has been arrested for allegedly extorting money paid as rentals for a building in the city belonging to an Indian national after the police set a trap on him when he had gone to collect the money.

ZANU PF activist Magura Charumbira has been arrested for allegedly extorting money paid as rentals for a building in the city belonging to an Indian national after the police set a trap on him when he had gone to collect the money. Richard Muponde Senior Court Reporter

Charumbira appeared in court on Tuesday facing charges of extortion.

He was not asked to plead by Bulawayo magistrate Sibongile Msipa and was remanded out of custody to December 2 on $50 bail.

Allegations against him are that on October 24, he went to Hollywood Building owned by Sunei Hassamal.

On arrival, he addressed the caretaker of the building, Rufaro Matsiko, who is the complainant in the matter and the tenants telling them that he wanted a share of the rentals paid.

Charumbira told Matsiko that he wanted half of all the money paid in rentals.

However, realising that Charumbira was extorting him, Matsiko went to the police to make a report.

The police bosses granted permission for Charumbira to be trapped.

On November 7, he went to the building and collected $106 from a tenant.

He then approached the complainant, Matsiko demanding more money.

Matsiko, who was in possession of trap money, advised the police of Charumbira’s presence and three officers went to the scene.

Charumbira was given the trap money and arrested soon after receiving it.

The ruling party activist is not new to controversy. In 2011, he caused the arrest of poet and playwright Stix Mhlanga, accusing him of assault after Charumbira rejected his suggestion of slotting in and praising some heroes from Matabeleland he had not honoured in his poem.

Mhlanga had suggested to Charumbira that the list of national heroes in his poem would be incomplete without citing Joseph Msika, John Nkomo and Gibson Sibanda.

Mhlanga was later acquitted at the close of the State case for lack of evidence.

Charumbira was in court again in 2013 for trying to defeat the course of justice after he allegedly blocked police from arresting his colleagues for public violence at Davies Hall.