Crash chopper pilot arrested again

A SOUTH African businessman recently freed on bail pending an appeal for flying in and out of Zimbabwe illegally has been arrested again for threatening to "fix" a Gwanda councillor.

Fredrick Wilhelm August Lutzkie, 52, was arrested at the Gwanda Magistrates Court yesterday, his lawyer confirmed.

Lutzkie, who runs a game farm near West Nicholson, allegedly made threats to Gwanda district's Ward 18 councillor, Mphathiswa Ncube, whom he blames for trying to have him expelled from the government-owned ranch.

His lawyer, Vonani Majoko, confirmed Lutzkie's arrest on a charge of using abusive or threatening language on Clr Ncube.

Majoko said Lutzkie was arrested for allegedly telling the councillor: "I will fix you."

Lutzkie, according to the lawyer, went to the Doddieburn Ranch in the company of a police officer.

"Other people who were present on the day said there is nothing like that which happened," said Majoko.
"When police picked him up, he was at the court where he was supposed to testify as a State witness in the trial of his farm manager, Lourens Botha, who is accused of theft."

Lutzkie is alleged to have confronted the councillor and some villagers for exposing his helicopter crash incident at the farm last month in which he buried the wreckage without telling authorities.

It is claimed he insulted Clr Ncube, embarrassing him in the presence of other villagers before threatening to fix the councillor for "misleading" police investigators by telling them lies about him and the helicopter crash incident in an effort to have him expelled from the ranch.

Lutzkie – who is appealing a three-and-a-half jail sentence – is expected to appear in court today charged with disorderly conduct in a public place. He will also be charged with unlawful possession of camouflage, according to police sources.

Last Thursday, Lutzkie threatened to "crush" a Chronicle reporter for taking his picture. He was fuming over what he termed "bad publicity" he had been given by this newspaper.

Meanwhile, Lutzkie will testify against his Doddieburn farm manager Botha in a fresh theft charge involving some mining equipment next month.

Botha, 65, and his son, Lourens Junior, 41, allegedly connived and stole property worth $31,500 from a Gwanda miner, Marcus David Bronson, of Peogoine Mine.

The Bothas, who reside at Hillside suburb in Bulawayo, appeared before Gwanda magistrate Sheila Nazombe yesterday to answer to theft charges.

The duo, who are co-owners of Sihamba Sonke Mine in Gwanda District, denied the charges through their lawyer Thamsanqa Khumalo.

They were remanded out of custody to July 7   for trial.

Prosecutor Edward Ndlovu alleges that Botha and his son stole a 165KVA generator and a quirl bowl belonging to Bronson, the owner of Peogoine Mine.

"On October 10, 2013, the two accused persons connived and went to Gonda North Mine, Gwanda, and stole one 165KVA generator and one quirl bowl after they misled Laxin Ndlovu that Bronson had lent them," said Ndlovu.

"On October 22, 2013, Bronson came back and discovered that his property was missing from Gonda North Mine and was informed by Laxin Ndlovu that his property was taken by the accused persons."

Botha, a South African national, was last week in court facing charges of illegally working as a manager at Doddieburn Ranch without a permit.

His business partner, Pieter Schalk Marais, 43, "sold him out" when he told the court that Botha was a manager at the ranch, allegations which Botha denied.

Marais' trial is set for Friday.