Africa-Press – Zimbabwe. Prophetic Healing and Deliverance [PHD] leader Walter Magaya’s bodyguard, Tapiwa Felix Chikondo appeared in court on Thursday to face charges of fraud following a botched car deal.
Chikondo (35) was arrested by the Zimbabwe Anti Corruption Commission and appeared before Harare magistrate Francis Mapfumo who remanded him out of custody on US$600 bail.
Earlier this week, he appeared in court on allegations of assaulting police officers who were arresting Magaya.
Chikondo was represented by Malvern Mapako of Rubaya and Chatambudza Legal practitioners.
He is facing two counts and the complainants are the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) and local hip Hopi artiste, Tinashe Gonzara, populary known as T-Gonzi.
Chikondo is a corporal in the Zimbabwe National Army, a car dealer and security aide with the PHD Ministries in Harare.
Allegations are that on a date to the unknown to the prosecutor but during the period extending from July 2024 to August 2024, Chikondo allegedly smuggled an ex-Japanese vehicle, a Toyota Mark X sedan which he secured the motor vehicle at Yadah Hotel, Waterfalls, Harare.
It is alleged that while the motor vehicle was secured at the place stated above, Accused identified a similar motor vehicle, a Toyota Mark X, registration number ABX 7852,registered in the name of Dumisani Dube.
Chikondo then allegedly applied for and got cleared by the CID Vehicle Theft Squad to change number plates. He then engaged a motor vehicle clearance agent, Andrew Musoni, who presented the documents to the Central Vehicle Registry for processing and issuance of the new number plates.
It is alleged that after obtaining the new set of motor vehicle registration number plates, AGS 2550 in the name of Dumisani Dube, Andrew Musoni gave them to the accused,
Thereafter, Chikondo affixed the new set of number plates stated above to the smuggled Toyota Mark X and sold it to T-Gonzi.
On January 7, 2025, the car was seized and impounded in Mbare by detectives from the CID Vehicle Theft Squad, Harare,
The smuggled vehicle is being held by the tax agency which alleges that it suffered an actual prejudice of US$3 389.55 in unpaid import duty.
T-Gonzi alleges that he suffered actual prejudice of US$5 000, which has not been recovered.
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