Jah Prayzah flees cops, arrested after tollgate fracas
By Munyaradzi Musiiwa/Bongani Ndlovu
Talented contemporary musician Jah Prayzah, real name Mukudzei Mukombe, was yesterday arrested after allegedly fleeing police and Zimbabwe National Road Authority (Zinara) officials at the Shurugwi Tollgate.
He was allegedly driving an unregistered Mercedes Benz E320. Police Midlands Operations Coordinator Chief Superintendent Edmore Bakayidza confirmed the arrest.
“I can confirm that Mukudzei Mukombe (Jah Prayzah) was summoned to Gweru Central Police Station after he refused to pay for his vehicle registration licence and fled police and Zinara officials at the Shurugwi Tollgate,” he said.
The towering musician was asked to produce vehicle registration documents at the tollgate but failed. Zinara officials asked him to pull over and pay $20 for vehicle licensing for one term but Jah Prayzah allegedly refused and ordered his crew to remove the cone barricades at the tollgate and sped off before throwing a $2 note at the officials.
He was later stopped at a tollgate between Gweru and Kwekwe over the same reason. Jah Prayzah allegedly caused a stir as he once again refused to comply with police orders at the tollgate. He allegedly refused to return to Gweru Central Police station where Zinara officials had reported the matter.
The Chronicle observed Jah Prayzah, who was in the company of his band members Simbarashe Mhungu and Daniel Prosper Kapfumvuti, refusing to go to Gweru Central Police demanding that the police should provide him with fuel to enable him to drive about 20km back to Gweru.
He bragged that he was well connected and knew senior police officials among them National Police Spokesperson Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba. He said he would not comply with orders given to him by junior police officers.
Jah Prayzah made several calls to different senior police officers including Snr Ass Comm Charamba seeking to circumvent the Gweru police.
Police had a torrid time trying to compel him to report to Gweru Central Police for fleeing police and tollgate officials. He complied after almost two hours when Chief Supt Bakayidza intervened and he paid the vehicle licence fee for one term.
Jah Prayzah yesterday declined to comment on the issue. “Ask the police about the whole issue,” he said and hung up. The Chronicle
