By Mary Taruvinga

TWO bogus Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) officials have been arrested after they unlawfully collected donations from various companies while misrepresenting themselves as officials from President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s office who were collecting donations for the recent inauguration ceremony.

Samson Gurumombe (52) and Brighton Magombo (26) Wednesday appeared before Harare magistrate Rumbidzayi Mugwagwa charged with two counts of fraud.

Prosecuting, Sebastian Mutizirwa opposed bail on the basis that Gurumombe and Magombo were caught on their way to swindling a leading Petroleum company.

It is state’s case that the two had established a wide network of victims misrepresenting that they were from the President’s office.

The court heard that on August 15, Gurumombe phoned ZB Bank group chief executive officer Ronald Mutandagayi and misrepresented that his name was Mhonda from Mnangagwa’s office.

He reportedly requested a donation of fuel coupons and mineral water for use while on official duty to Chirundu.

Gurumombe further told Mutandagayi that he was going to send his subordinate Magombo to collect the donation from ZB headquarters in Avondale.

At around mid-day, Magombo went to the offices and saw Florence Chikoto, Mutandagayi’s assistant who gave him 40 litres of petrol coupons and 1,5 litres of mineral water.

Court heard that on August 20 Gurumombe called NetOne acting chief executive office Nkosinathi Ncube and told him he was busy working on the Telecommunications Company’s files.

Gurumombe called Ncube again on August 21 and 22 indicating that he was compiling the list of executives who had been picked to attend Mnangagwa’s inauguration.

Using the same modus operandi, Gurumombe requested a donation of fuel coupons and mineral water before advising Ncube that Magombo would collect the items on his behalf.

He was given 40 litres of petrol and two litres of mineral water.

On August 26, Gurumombe phoned Ncube again asking for another donation and this prompted the latter to start investigating the genuineness of the requests.

Ncube made enquiries which proved that Gurumombe and Magombo were not employed at the President’s office.

The following day Magombo went to NetOne offices intending to collect another donation but detectives ambushed and arrested him at the scene.

Magombo was interviewed and confessed that he was acting on Gurumombe’s behalf.

This then led to Gurumombe’s arrest.