Makandiwa ‘gold dealer’ pastor convicted

HARARE – A United Family International Church (UFIC) pastor James Mwarira has been convicted of dealing in gold without a licence. Mwarira (25) was yesterday found guilty of the crime by Harare magistrate Anita Tshuma.

He has been remanded in custody to Friday for sentence.

The pastor whose church is led by Emmanuel Makandiwa was arrested last month along Kwame Nkrumah Avenue in Harare after he was caught red-handed with nine grammes of the precious mineral. The gold, valued at $429 was wrapped in a Zimbabwe bearer’s cheque which is now out of circulation.

On June 10, Detective Sergeant Munouya, Detective Constable Walaza and Detective Constable Mavhene from Harare Minerals Unit, who were on patrol, received information that Mwarira, a UFIC pastor based in Kambuzuma, was trading gold at a jewellery shop in the city centre.

Upon arrival at the shop situated at the corner of Kwame Nkrumah and Kaguvi streets, the policemen identified themselves and asked to search Mwarira. He complied with the order and the search was carried out while Detective Sergeant Munouya watched.

Detective Constable Mavhene recovered a gold button wrapped in a $50 billion Zimbabwe bearer’s cheque, hidden in a small zipped compartment in the pastor’s wallet.

The police officers asked the man of cloth to produce evidence that he was authorised to deal or be in possession of the gold and he failed to do so. He was subsequently arrested. NewsDay