Ex-Zim soldier's trial starts
Goitsemodimo Kaelo | Thursday July 12, 2018 16:34
The former Zimbabwean Air Lieutenant Nkiwane was a subject of a double identity scandal following his arrest in Mogoditshane in October 2015 when he told the police that he is Mike Graduate Mutidzwa, but police investigations later revealed that his real name is Nkiwane.
Investigations later revealed that the real Mutidzwa was indeed still alive in Zimbabwe and never served in the army.
Nkiwane has another case of illegal possession of arms and ammunitions of war before Broadhurst Magistrates’ Court facing charges of possession of illegal firearms; possession of a ceremonial uniform suspected to be that of the Zimbabwean National Army.
It is said that he fraudulently obtained his driver’s licence, residence and work permit in 2009 after giving false information to a person employed in the public service.
When his trial commenced this week before magistrate Ntombizodwa Ncube, the state called on detective assistant inspector Tendai Jafari from Interpol Zimbabwe who accompanied the Investigating Officer detective senior Sergeant Marapo when he went to Zimbabwe to investigate the matter.
Jafari told the court during cross-examination that during his investigations, the National Fingerprints Bureau (NFB) Zimbabwe confirmed to him that the supplied fingerprints by the National Central Bureau (NCB) Gaborone did not match the one retrieved by NFB of national registration number of Mutidzwa.
When asked by the accused how he knew that the fingerprints attached to the message from Botswana Police Services were his, Jafari responded, “I acted in my official capacity according to the information I receive from another country and basing on that information, we believe everything they send us has through Interpol Communication System is authentic to the extent of their verification. Because they had indicated that the fingerprints are yours, I had no doubt”.
Meanwhile, the trial was scheduled to take five days and end on July 13, but it has since been postponed after the accused Nkiwane presented a sick leave from his doctor. The message indicated that the accused is unwell and needed a three-day rest before the trial resumes.