ZBC chief reporter Reuben Barwe swindled

By Tendai Kamhungira

HARARE – Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) television chief correspondent Reuben Barwe lost $20 000 to Walter Mupfanochiya, a colleague and manager at the country’s sole broadcasting station in a botched business project, a Harare magistrate heard yesterday.

Seasoned news anchor Mupfanochiya yesterday appeared before Harare magistrate Anita Tshuma on allegations of defrauding Barwe and Moses Charedzera, an online news manager, of over  $30 000 collectively.

Mupfanochiya, 38, is facing two counts of fraud after he allegedly swindled Barwe and Charedzera of a collective amount of $33 000. Barwe, who was recently removed from the European Union sanctions list, was at the courts for the case yesterday. Magistrate Tshuma released Mupfanochiya on $500 bail.

She ordered him to reside at his given address, report every Friday to CID fraud section, surrender his passport and not to interfere with investigations and evidence. He will be back in court on March 19.

According to prosecutor David Magwegwe, Mupfanochiya approached Charedzera on December 18, 2010, to discuss business proposals before approaching Barwe on the same issue in November last year. Mupfanochiya allegedly told Charedzera that he wanted money to invest into his business project.

It is alleged that after pleading with Charedzera, he was given $3 000, before asking for a further $10 000 which was transferred into his CBZ bank account in December 2010. Mupfanochiya allegedly promised to pay back the money at the beginning of January last year, but failed to do so.

According to state papers, out of $13 000 that Mupfanochiya received from Charedzera, $4 000 was recovered. Mupfanochiya is said to have approached Barwe and the two had a business discussion in November last year. During the discussion, Mupfanochiya asked Barwe to invest in his company, the court was told.

He went on to ask for $20 000 for the investment and Barwe agreed before transferring the money into Mupfanochiya’s NMB bank account. Barwe made frantic efforts to get his money back in January this year. Mupfanochiya had promised to return the money at the beginning of January, which he never did.

He showed no capacity of returning the money but further promised to pay back before the end of February this year but failed again. According to state papers, Barwe and Charedzera both discovered they had been duped and reported the matter to the police, leading to Mupfanochiya’s arrest.

Mupfanochiya, 38, is facing two counts of fraud after he allegedly swindled Barwe and Charedzera of a collective amount of $33 000. Daily News