Businessman Clark Makoni detained after “attempting to report a robbery”

GOROMONZI – Clark Makoni, a Zimbabwean businessman involved in real estate and mining, is bizarrely being held at Juru Police Station in Goromonzi after allegedly reporting an attempted robbery.

However, instead of being treated as a victim, he was thrown into a jail cell and charged with discharging a firearm and pointing a gun at someone.

In an interview with Nehanda TV Managing Editor, Lance Guma, conducted at 01:36 am on June 6, 2024, Makoni claimed that Police Assistant Commissioner Wonder Tembo is behind his ordeal, which stems from a dispute over a mine in Goromonzi.

Makoni explained that he was driving to the police station to report the attempted robbery when he was stopped by a suspicious vehicle.

He fired a warning shot to deter the occupants, who were later revealed to be connected to the mining dispute. Despite this, the police charged him with discharging a firearm and pointing a gun at someone.

“I was driving from the Goromonzi area along Mutoko Road on my way to the police station at Juru. We had got a visitation at our mine from a certain Superintendent who came with two ZRP pickup trucks in full riot gear.

“I questioned their presence there because they truly had no reason to be there. We have got a dispute that is there. But this is a matter that is at the High Court. I successfully challenged them and they left,” Makoni said.

“He asked that I follow them later on to the police station so that they can take a statement from me and I can also provide some court documents for them. I complied.

“Around midday, I made my way to the police station. Just about two kilometers after the Juru tollgate, that is where I noticed a suspicious vehicle following us. I was with my cousin.

“I slowed my vehicle down to about 45km/h hoping that the vehicle would just overtake. The vehicle did not overtake. It had a full tint even on the windscreen. We proceeded to stop to see if the car would overtake. But it also stopped. At this moment, we got very uncomfortable.”

“Another vehicle then overtook and sped past us. Another one overtook and blocked us. I tried to go to the right, the white Toyota Prado also moved to the right. I tried to the left, it did the same thing.

“I rolled down my window, took my firearm because I had some cash and I have a firearm license for cash in transit. I fired a warning shot. This did not deter them.

“The occupants of the Prado then pulled out guns. I aimed for their tyre and I successfully shot it. This slowed them down and allowed me to overtake. I then saw a police roadblock. I stopped there and asked for assistance.

“To my surprise, one of the vehicles that had initially overtook us was there. And out of it came someone we actually recognised to be one of the people we are in a mining dispute with.

“The other two vehicles caught up with us. And these people tried to attack me right in front of the police. I drove forward and asked one police officer to come with me.”

Makoni added that they went on to the police station to report the matter.

“Moments later, these guys also arrived. It’s at that point that I recognised six of them. Of the six, five of them are in a dispute with us over the mine. The matter is before the courts as we speak.

“I pointed all these things to the police. And I asked if I could express my report. I was delayed. And the police instead asked for a meeting with all parties, which I found a bit weird considering it was a serious matter where a gun had been discharged.

“They went on and talked to us. I was asked to leave. These guys continued talking.

“At that point we discovered that the vehicle that I had shot at, actually belonged to Police Commissioner Tembo. Earlier on we have been wondering, why would the police be interested in a civil matter? And why do they keep showing up? I was now clear that there is a top cop involved but we did not know this person.”

Makoni said: “He (Commissioner Tembo) is certainly the one who is sending these cops to our mine. Because, imagine, it’s a civil matter, I really don’t understand why the police need to be involved.

“I’m in police cells. They put me in here with my bags, phones and everything that I have.

“They are charging me, I saw a document that read I have been charged with discharging a firearm and pointing a gun at somebody.

“The complaint is a gentleman called Courage Moyo. This is how I also found out about vehicle ownership. Courage claims that Commissioner Tembo is his brother. I got to the police around 2.15pm but they only attended to me at 6pm.

“They wanted me to sign a warned and caution statement. I challenged that saying I was the one who came to the police to report my case. How then do I become the one who is charged?

“CID were called. This matter was fast tracked. When I started writing my statement, they said I was taking too long and they insisted that I should be thrown into the cells.”

Makoni’s wife, Beverly, has promised to provide further details after consulting with their legal counsel.

Makoni’s detention has also highlighted the deplorable conditions at Juru Police Station, where he is being held with his possessions, including two mobile phones and a bag of cash.

Police Spokesperson Commissioner Paul Nyathi’s mobile phone was not available during the time of writing.

Courage Moyo responds to Clark Makoni accusations

Courage Moyo, who was driving the Prado that was shot, has also responded to Makoni’s accusations in an exclusive interview with Nehanda Radio. He said he bought the vehicle from Commissioner Tembo, and he was yet to change its ownership when the incident occurred.

He confirmed that he has a mining dispute with Makoni that is currently in court. Moyo added that despite a provisional order in their favor, the police have been reluctant to enforce it, instead sending teams on “fact-finding missions”.

“The fact is, we have a mining dispute with this guy, and it has spilled into the courts. The court gave us a provisional order, which we have failed to enforce, as the police are reluctant to enforce the order.

“They’ve been sending teams on the ground on what they’ve been calling a ‘fact-finding mission.’ I’ll send you the order.

“Yesterday, they came to the mine with the Dispol minor Murewa superintendent Madhoro, but as the holders of a tribute agreement of the said blocks, we were never contacted. However, they called Clark Makoni and informed him of their coming. They are said to have gotten to the ground together.

“When I heard that, I drove from home to the mine to see the officers, whom I met along the way to the mine on their way back. They advised that all of us are needed at Juru police station, meaning parties to the dispute.

“I drove to the police station ahead of his car, as people who always exchanged words because of the dispute. This guy fired at my car twice, on the rear right tyre. The first shot missed, and the second hit my tyre.

“My brother, who was driving behind his car, then called and asked if I had seen what had happened. He overtook all our cars to rush to the roadblock that was ahead of us, so that they could stop him. (Videos I’ll supply).

“He got to the roadblock and was stopped, but he didn’t, so he hit the police cone that was in the road. My brother then blocked him so that he could not run away from the roadblock.

“I disembarked from my car, walking towards his car, asking why he had shot at my car. To which he pulled a gun and pointed it at my chest, threatening to kill me because of the dispute, saying, ‘I’ll kill you, you keep fighting to remove me from the mine.’

Moyo says he has evidence of the incident, including videos and audio recordings. He alleges that Clark Makoni refused to be detained for most of the day and insulted officers.

“This happened in full view of the police, who were manning the roadblock, who then advised him he’s under arrest, and we should go to the station.

“The police officers entered into his vehicle, and I followed behind in my brother’s car to the police station, where the police who he went with in his car advised their superiors of what had transpired, and they said I should file a report in the charge, as the officers had witnessed.

“That was around past 2 pm, but he only got arrested around 11:30 pm after having refused to be detained all day. I also have an audio of when he was refusing arrest and insulting officers,” Moyo old Nehanda Radio.