A member of the Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO), Richard Mubaiwa (31), who was arrested and charged with extorting $10 000 from Zimbabwe Football Association (Zifa) chief executive officer Jonathan Mashingaidze, was yesterday released together with his co-accused John Chari (32) on $200 bail each.
As part of their bail conditions, the two were ordered to reside at the addresses they supplied to police, not to interfere with witnesses, to report twice per week at the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Law and Order and remanded to March 14.
The two were arrested after allegedly threatening Mashingaidze with elimination over his involvement in the match-fixing investigations, now known as the Asiagate.
It is alleged Mubaiwa claimed he had Mashingaidze’s file containing information about the Asiagate scandal and the role he was playing in “persecuting innocent people”.
Further allegations are that Mubaiwa told Mashingaidze the file had pictures of world football governing body Fifa president Sepp Blatter, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and Zifa president Cuthbert Dube.
The State secret agent reportedly told Mashingaidze the Premier’s picture at his Zifa office was an indication he was a member of the MDC-T. Mubaiwa’s business address was cited in court as President’s Office, Chaminuka Building in Harare, while Chari was cited as a farmer at Shumba Farm in Banket.
However, both men’s residential addresses were provided in court papers as Unit A, Seke, Chitungwiza.
According to State papers, Mubaiwa was arrested after being implicated by Chari, who was caught at Kensington Supermarket when he received $2 000 from Mashingaidze following a trap set by the police last Wednesday.
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This was after Chari had allegedly told Mashingaidze that he would be eliminated unless he paid Chari’s bosses cash ranging from $6 000 to $10 000. The whole saga is said to have started on Tuesday last week at around 4pm when Mubaiwa allegedly phoned Mashingaidze and identified himself as Run’anga from the President’s Office.
Mubaiwa is alleged to have told Mashingaidze he was in possession of a file that had serious implications on him and further told him he was looking into his political background and his connection with the MDC-T.
Mubaiwa then reportedly requested to meet Mashingaidze at Chikwanha shopping centre in Chitungwiza to discuss the matter where he allegedly emphasised the seriousness of the allegations against him.
He is said to have told Mashingaidze there were six men including himself who had been appointed to deal with him, prompting Mashingaidze to report to police leading to their arrest.
