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Crime and Courts

Court Forfeits Mandara Stand and Hilux in NetOne Fraud Case

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Court Awards Nearly US$49K to Farmer Shot During Patrol

The High Court has ordered that a residential stand in Mandara and a Toyota Hilux be handed over to the State after ruling that both assets were purchased using funds linked to criminal activity involving a former NetOne employee.

In a judgment delivered by Justice Benjamin Chikowero, the court found that the property and the vehicle were proceeds of crime and formed part of a deliberate attempt to hide the benefits of alleged fraud committed by former NetOne cashier Daniel Kalira.

Kalira, who was listed as the first respondent, is currently facing criminal charges before the Harare Magistrates Court. He is accused of defrauding NetOne of more than ZWL$108 million through the illegal manipulation of airtime vouchers, as well as theft of trust property and money laundering.

The second respondent, Charlotte Chivavarirwa, Kalira’s former partner and the mother of his four-year-old child, was found to be the registered owner of the Toyota Hilux. The court ruled that the vehicle was acquired during the period of the alleged fraud and rejected her claim that it was purchased using proceeds from mining activities.

Justice Chikowero held that the explanations given regarding the vehicle’s funding were not credible, finding that the supposed gold mining joint venture and related documentation were fabricated to mask the true source of the money.

The third respondent, Harriet Kalira, who is Kalira’s maternal grandmother, was listed as holding an undivided share in Stand 913 Mandara Township. The court concluded that she was used as a front to conceal the origin of the funds used to acquire the property.

Dismissing claims that the Mandara stand was bought using money sent from Australia as a gratuity by a former employer, Justice Chikowero said the explanation was riddled with inconsistencies and lacked credibility.

The court found that Daniel Kalira personally negotiated the purchase, paid US$52,000 in cash and dealt directly with the seller, while the person in whose name the property was registered neither viewed the stand nor made any payment.

“The most reasonable conclusion from the evidence is that the true purchaser was the first respondent,” the judge ruled.

However, the court declined to forfeit several luxury vehicles after the State acknowledged that they had been acquired before the alleged criminal activity. A separate forfeiture bid involving a BMW 320d was also struck off the roll after it emerged that the alleged owner had not been properly cited.

Justice Chikowero ordered the Mandara property and the Toyota Hilux to be transferred to the State, directing the Registrar of Deeds and the Registrar of Motor Vehicles to implement the forfeiture. Each party was ordered to cover its own legal costs.

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Crime and Courts

GOKWE MAN SENTENCED 15 YEARS FOR ATTEMPTED RAPE

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Photo Credit: Internet

​A 35-year-old man from Village Zebediah under Chief Njelele has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for the attempted rape of a minor.

The Gokwe Regional Magistrates’ Court convicted Kupakwashe Hore following an incident that occurred earlier this month.

​The court heard that on April 5, 2026, at approximately 09:00 hours, Hore arrived at a local homestead and took the complainant away to a nearby field. The victim is a young girl aged between four and five years.

​While in the field, the offender undressed the child and lowered his own trousers. A local villager arrived at the scene just in time to intervene, pushing Hore away and rescuing the girl.

The witness then took the child back to her mother.

​A formal report was promptly filed at ZRP Gokwe. The victim was subsequently referred to Gokwe Hospital for a medical examination to assess any harm.

​In a statement following the sentencing, the National Prosecuting Authority of Zimbabwe (NPAZ) emphasized the importance of the ruling.

“The conviction and sentence reflect the gravity of sexual violence and the commitment of the NPAZ to ensure that those who act unlawfully face the full might of the law,” the authority stated.

​The NPAZ further noted that the safety and dignity of children within Zimbabwean communities remain paramount to the justice system.

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Crime and Courts

Top SA Police Chief Faces R5 Million Bribery Allegation

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South Africa’s National Police Commissioner, Fannie Masemola, has been accused of receiving a R5 million bribe from businessman and football administrator Bobby Motaung.

The allegations were made on Sunday by suspended Mpumalanga Police Commissioner Daphney Manamela during a media briefing held in Mbombela.

Manamela alleged that the payment reportedly shared with Major General Botsotso Moukangwe was intended to block her return to office and halt the reopening of fraud and corruption investigations linked to Motaung.

The cases relate to a controversial tender involving the construction of Mbombela Stadium.

She further linked the matter to the 2010 killing of whistleblower Jimmy Mohlala, who had exposed alleged irregularities in the stadium project.

According to Manamela, purported confessions from Moukangwe support her claims.

Responding to the allegations, police spokesperson Athlenda Mathe described them as serious and confirmed that they will be subjected to formal investigation.

As of now, neither Masemola nor Motaung has issued a public response. The claims have raised fresh concerns about accountability and integrity within the South African Police Service.

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Crime and Courts

Manhunt Launched After Triple Shooting in Chimanimani

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Chipinge – Police are searching for a 30-year-old suspect who fled after allegedly shooting three people in Chimanimani, triggering a nationwide appeal for information.

The Zimbabwe Republic Police identified the suspect as Francis Makuma Magirayano, who is wanted in connection with an attempted murder case linked to an incident that occurred on April 18, 2026. Authorities believe he had recently returned from South Africa.

It is alleged that Magirayano, who was driving a silver Toyota Fortuner (registration number JV 70 SM GP), opened fire following a dispute with his wife, 26-year-old Mercyline Mahembe. He reportedly shot her several times, injuring her cheek, hand, and thigh.

The suspect is also accused of shooting his sister-in-law in the leg and a shopkeeper at Kopa Business Centre during the same incident.

All three victims were rushed to hospital in Chipinge, where they are still receiving treatment.

Police say the suspect remains at large and are urging members of the public with any information on his whereabouts to contact the ZRP National Complaints Desk or report to the nearest police station.

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