Ex-cop arrested for extorting T Freddy
Fifty-year-old Godfrey Jaji was on Tueaday arraigned before Harare Magistrates Court accused of trying to extort pastor Tapiwa Freddy of US$20 000.
The Zimbabwe Republic Police officer in charge for Juru police was remanded to Wednesday for bail application.
It is the State’s case that sometime in 2020 Freddy⁰ was involved in a love affair with the Rutendo Makuti who is on remand in this matter Harare Magistrate Court CRB 10776/2021 and during the subsistence of their relationship Makuti allegedly started threatening complainant that if he did not meet her financial and material demands she would expose the affair to the public.
It is alleged that sometime in August 2021 complainant was summoned by Chief Chikwaka (Witness Bungu) but upon his arrival at the Chief’s homestead he was tipped that there were some Police officers who wanted to extort him.
Freddy allegedly made a U-turn and decided to return without entering the Chief’s homestead and he drove his car towards Mutoko road intending to return to Harare.
It is alleged Jaji in the company of the chief Chikwaka who is still at large and other police officers proceeded along Nyamapanda-Mutoko-Harare and laid out a security road block to stop Freddy from returning back to Harare and apprehended him at the roadblock and escorted him back to the chief’s homestead for the unlawful hearing.
The complainant refused to comply with the order but the accused person who posed as Assistant Inspector Jaji forcefully entered into complainant’s vehicle and ordered him to drive to the Chief’s homestead.
It is alleged upon arrival at the Chief’s homestead complainant whilst being escorted by accused person found out that outside the yard there were some Police Officers in Police Uniform while inside the house there were other six male adults who he presumed were the Chief’s assistants.
The Chief Chikwaka allegedly started by accusing the complainant that he had raped the accused person and also that he had slept with the accused before a year had lapsed since the death of her husband.
Chief Chikwaka allegedly told complainant that he was supposed to pay something as a sacrifice and Freddy told him that he could not comment on the rape allegations since it was a criminal charge which could only be dealt with by the Police.
Complainant sensed that whatever was happening was illegal but due to the illegitimate pressure he made a promise to pay US$15 000 and in addition the Chief ordered complainant to pay 3 goats and complainant promised to return on a later date with the money and the goats.
Chief Chikwaka then made complainant to sign an agreement which was authored by Jaji who gave complainant a warning that if he did not comply with what hey had agreed then he would come to Harare and pick him up at his Church during his Church Services.
The Chief also weighed in and told complainant that he had recorded him so if he did not honor the agreement the he would leak the videos to the media.
It is alleged that upon their return to Harare Makuti told complainant to hand over the US$15000 to her personally since she is the one who was aggrieved and she started threatening complainant that she would expose him at his church and that she would use a social media personality by the name Tatelicious to defame complainant.
The complainant succumbed to the illegitimate pressure and gave Makuti a Mercedes Benz E-250 vehicle which they agreed was valued at US$15 000, Makuti allegedly warned complainant not to tell anyone and made him to sign an agreement that she had been given the car as a way of letting go their differences.
After some days Makuti allegedly started threatening complainant again saying his secretary Nollen Mundawaro had insulted her so he wanted a compensation of US$20 000 and also ordered complainant to make sure the secretary does not represent his church on all their radio and television programs..
On November 11 another accused person already on remand on this matter Mutetepi Maushe under Harare Magistrate court CRB 11045/21 contacted complainant and told him that he was giving him an ultimatum of up to the end of the day to pay the US$20 000 and to sign an acknowledgement that he had raped the accused, failure of which would result in him exposing the matter.
The complainant realised that the extortion would continue and he reported the matter to the police. Makuti was arrested when he was lured to a meeting by the complainant purportedly to discuss on the signing of the said acknowledgement to the rape charges and payment of the US$20 000 and she implicated Jaji.
The total value extorted is US$15 000 and all recovered.
