By Tarisai Machakaire
VIVA Zimbabwe leader William Mutumanje popularly known as Acie Lumumba is facing charges of stealing $8 000 from a colleague before transferring the money into his wife’s bank account, a Harare court heard yesterday.
Mutumanje was released on free bail when he appeared before Harare magistrate Josephine Sande on Saturday. The complainant is Graham Tineyi of One Commando Barracks in Craneborne in Harare.
Prosecutor Progress Maringamoyo alleged that on February 27, Mutumanje met Tineyi at Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport. The two are said to be friends. The court heard that when Tineyi arrived at the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority point, he was told that the limit of American dollars one has to carry when going out of the country was $2 000.
He then asked Mutumanje if he knew anyone at the airport that he could leave some of his money with.
It was alleged that Mutumanje then took Tineyi to Abigail Chipuru of Traverse Travel Airport Office before they both flew to South Africa.
However, on February 28, Mutumanje sent a WhatsApp message to Jethro Tonderai Maposa to go to Traverse Travel offices and collect $8 000 from Chipuru.
According to State papers, Mutumanje did so without the knowledge and consent of Tineyi.
Maposa reportedly collected the money and as instructed by Mutumanje, sold the United States dollars on the black market. The court heard that Maposa got $10 000 in bond notes and transferred it into Mutumanje’s wife, Lillian Rufaro Madyira’s bank account.
A police report was filed against Mutumanje, leading to his arrest. DailyNews
