Bogus chief's messengers arrested

SEVEN daring Nyanga villagers who allegedly masqueraded as Chief Saunyama's messengers, issuing counterfeit summons to villagers to appear before the community court, were recently nabbed and arraigned before the courts on impersonation charges.

The suspected impersonators had identity cards that they were using to convince unsuspecting villagers into believing that they were genuine emissaries of the community court.

However, the counterfeit identity cards were not signed and stamped by the new substantive Chief Saunyama — born Mr Solomon Mapuranga.

First to be eluded by luck was Rosemary Mapfurira (46), of Mapfurira Village, who had approached the chief's aide and court assessor, Mr Landmine Madongonda intending to give him money for onward submission to Chief Saunyama.

She was allegedly lured to Nyamhuka Bus Terminus, where she met Chief Saunyama, and introduced herself as a messenger of his community court.

In the process, she produced her counterfeit messenger's identity card, which the traditional leader immediately disowned, leading to her subsequent arrest.

She implicated six other suspects - Witness Mutenga (45), Edward Tagwasha (55), Jairos Madotsa (38), Fungai Chapandira (48), Brighton Maereka (31) and Remigio Madzimbiti.

They were also arrested in connection with the same offence.

They recently appeared before Nyanga magistrate, Ms Notebulgar Muchineripi.

Mapfurira denied the allegations, arguing that she was appointed by Headman Mushonga. She is out on bail.

Prosecutor, Ms Beverly Chatindo, said for being found in possession of a counterfeit identity card, Mapfurira violated Section 179 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act, Chapter 9.23, which criminalises impersonating someone.

"On June 6, 2024 at around 8am, Mapfurira called one Landmine Madongonda, intending to give him Chief Saunyama's money. On the same date, the accused person met Chief Saunyama at Nyamhuka 1 Bus Terminus, and introduced herself as a messenger of his court. Mapfurira produced an identity card which Chief Saunyama discovered was fake since he had not issued that kind of identity card. The accused was using the fake card purporting to be one of the chief's messengers. The copy of the fake identity document can be produced in court as an exhibit," said Ms Chatindo.

Ms Chatindo further said other six accused persons were later arrested after being implicated by Mapfurira, and were also found in possession of similar fake identity cards, that neither had the stamp, nor signature of Chief Saunyama to authenticate them.

"On a date not known to the prosecutor, but during the period extending from December 2023 to August 2024, the accused persons misrepresented themselves purporting to be Chief Saunyama's messengers.

"The matter came to light after the arrest of one of the accused persons, Rosemary Mapfurira, who implicated the accused persons, leading to their arrest since the complainant denied ever employing them as his messengers. The fake identity cards were recovered from the accused persons as the complainant denied ever issuing them with those identity cards.

"The identity cards were not date stamped by the complainant for authentication. The accused persons were using the fake identity cards purporting to be Chief Saunyama's messengers," said Ms Chatindo.

The six, who were not represented, pleaded not guilty, saying they were given the green light to issue summons to villagers, and act as messengers of the chief by Headman Mushonga, who is also an assessor with the community court.

However, testifying in court, Mr Madongonda said Chief Saunyama never authorised anyone to employ court messengers on his behalf.

He further said the absence of the chief's stamp and signature was evidence enough to prove that the accused persons were not employees of the court.

Ms Muchineripi rolled the matter to August 26 for continuation of trial.