Former referee caught off-side

FORMER Mutare soccer referee Elias Chamutsa, who recently stepped down as Hope Alive Ministries Church elder, spent two days in police cells after he conned an unsuspecting local car mechanic of his welding machine.

Police confirmed the arrest of Chamutsa and subsequent recovery of the welding machine. Manicaland police spokesperson Assistant Inspector Muzondiwa Clean said Chamutsa took the welding machine from the mechanic and gave it to another person whom he owed money.

"Elias Chamutsa took a welding machine from Peter Fernando but failed to return it. He took the welding machine to another person whom he owed money. However, the case was withdrawn by the complainant after the welding machine was recovered," said Manicaland police spokesperson Assistant Inspector Muzondiwa Clean.

Chamutsa, who appears to have fallen on hard times, given the increasing number of unpaid debts, recently stepped down as Hope Alive Ministries Church elder after a series of complaints from several people he duped in botched deals.

A highly placed source in the Hope Alive Ministries church told The Weekender that Chamutsa stepped down as church elder after complaints from people he duped.

"Yes, he was our church elder but he stepped down from the post after people whom he duped came to the church complaining. In fact, he used to reside at the church premises and it is not clear whether he is still residing at the same premises," said a reliable source who refused to be named since he is not entitled to speak on behalf of the church.

Repeated efforts to get a comment from Chamutsa were fruitless at the time of going to Press as his mobile phone was unreachable.

He was also not available at his workplace where he is said to be playing hide and seek with several people he duped of varying amounts of money.