Interpol to verify �fake� lawyer�s identity in Zimbabwe
Goitsemodimo Kaelo | Thursday August 24, 2017 17:00
The prosecutor in the case, Inspector Oamogetswe Gaboutlwelwe of Botswana Police Service yesterday told Broadhurst Magistrate Faith Ngandu that they have written to Interpol Zimbabwe office to confirm if the accused is the rightful owner of the passport number he provided the police when he was arrested.
Moyo, 45, allegedly defrauded over 200 people in Botswana by claiming to be a lawyer. He is also alleged to have remained unlawfully in Botswana following the expiry of his visitor’s permit.
In a previous mention, police had indicated that passport number BN63705, which Moyo presented, does not belong to him, according to Interpol in Zimbabwe.
Investigations revealed that the passport was in fact issued to a certain Jefta Mazunyu. However, Moyo’s attorney, Atlang Latelang had argued that his client had no connection to that passport number, as Moyo’s passport bore the number BN68705.
“My client instructed me to confirm that indeed that is not his passport. He does not know where the investigating officer got that passport number. The copies of his passport number furnished to the police bear the passport number BN68705 not BN63705. He doesn’t have anything to do with that passport,” Latelang said previously.Gaboutlwelwe told the court that she had spoke to the investigating officer to speed up his investigations.
“He promised to pull some strings to have a quick response. I am hoping to have the response from Interpol next week,” she said.
Yesterday, Gaboutlwelwe still could not give an update on the authenticity of Moyo’s educational certificates. Previously, prosecutors said they had engaged the services of MCB Manchester for assistance in relation to the authenticity of the certificates Moyo holds.
According to information presented thus far before court, the accused is not registered to practice law in Botswana, as he is not registered with the Law Society of Botswana.
Meanwhile, Gaboutlwelwe indicated that they have handed Moyo’s docket to Directorate of Public Prosecution (DPP) for possible prosecution. She noted that a new charge sheet, which will have the different counts of obtaining by false pretences treated separately, is being prepared at DPP.