More charges for alleged Zim military imposter
Sharon Mathala | Thursday September 1, 2016 16:32
Mike Graduate Mutizwa, whose real names police believe are still unknown, is now facing charges of obtaining by false pretences and giving false information to a person employed in the public service.
According to the new charge sheet, on or about October 14 near the Department of Road Transport and Safety Mutizwa fraudulently obtained a Botswana driver’s license under the pretext that he is Graduate Mutizwa, which he knew was not true.
In the second count he is charged with fraudulently obtaining a residence permit under the same names, information which he knew or believed to be false. This is said to have happened on or about February 8, 2011 at the Regional Immigration Office in Gaborone.
Mutizwa is also alleged to have fraudulently obtained a temporary permit to stay in Botswana. He acquired the permit from the Regional Immigration office on July 23, 2009 after providing wrong information to a public officer.
On count four, Mutizwa is alleged to have fraudulently obtained a temporary permit to stay in Botswana on April 1, 2011. The police say that the accused person used the same name to marry one Catherine Kerekang knowing that the name he gave to the marriage officer was false.
Yesterday in court, Mutizwa accused the investigating officer, detective senior superintendent, Sergeant Marapo of planting the pistol that got him arrested in his separate case. He said this was the case that had caused him trouble to begin with. He appeared before Extension II Senior Magistrate Keolebogile Mathodi.
“This witness is not reliable; he is dishonest and has personal interests,” Mutizwa said.
“I have been kept in custody since last year when I was arrested. He planted a gun in my home. He knows I am going for acquittal in the other case and that’s why he wants to keep me in custody. All that the police have put before court are just mere allegations,” he said. For his part, Marapo told the court that Mutizwa was a flight risk as police still did not know his real names. “We have liaised with Interpol in Zimbabwe and they have confirmed that a man by that name is alive and living in Zimbabwe,” said Marapo.
“The fingerprints of the accused person do not match those sent back by Interpol Zimbabwe of the real Mutizwa,” he said.
Marapo also indicated that the investigating team will be traveling to Zimbabwe to interview the alleged real Mutizwa and will be ready with fresh information in the next two weeks. The case will mention again on September 14.