ZBC Radio Zimbabwe presenter Rutendo Makuti Mubweza appeared in court on Friday on allegations of extorting popular Harare prophet Tapiwa Freddy.
Makuti who is also known as Ruru on radio was not asked to plead when she appeared before Harare magistrate Judith Taruvinga.
She was released on $5 000 bail and the matter was remanded to 7 January 2022.
It was the State’s case that sometime in 2021 the man of cloth, 38, was involved in a love affair with Makuti, 33,. During the subsistence of their relationship, Makuti started threatening him that if he did not meet her financial and material demands she would expose the affair to the public.
It is also alleged that sometime in August 2021, the complainant was summoned by Chief Chikwaka. Upon his arrival at the Chief’s homestead he was tipped that there were some police officers who wanted to extort him.
Prophet T Freddy made a U-turn and decided to return without entering the Chief’s homestead. He reportedly drove his car towards Mutoko road intending to return to Harare but he was stopped by Police Officers who were manning a Roadblock along Mutoko road just after the intersection to the Chief’s homestead.
The Police Officers told the complainant that they had been given instructions by their superior Inspector Jaji and Chief Chikaka not to allow him to pass through.
After a few minutes two male adults who introduced themselves as Chief Chikwaka and Inspector Jaji arrived at the roadblock and told the prophet to drive back to the Chief’s homestead.
Freddy allegedly refused to comply with the order but the said Inspector forcefully entered into the complainant’s vehicle and ordered him to drive to the Chief’s homestead.
Upon arrival at the Chief’s homestead, the complainant found out that outside the yard there were some police officers who were clad in their uniform while inside the home there were 6 male adults whom he presumed were the Chief’s assistants.
The Chief started accusing him that he had raped Makuti and also that he had slept with her before a year had lapsed since the death of her husband.
He told the complainant that he was supposed to pay something as a sacrifice but Freddy told him he could not comment on the rape allegations since it was a criminal charge which could be dealt with by the police.
Freddy sensed that whatever was happening was illegal but due to pressure, he made a promise to pay US$15 000. In addition, the Chief ordered complainant to pay 3 goats.
Freddy then promised to return at a later date with the money and the goats. The Chief made him to sign an agreement which was authored Inspector Jaji.
It is the State’s case that upon their return to Harare, Makuti toId Freddy to hand over the US$15000 to her personally since she is the one who was aggrieved.
She then started to threaten him that she would expose him at his church and she would use a social media personalty by the name Tatelicious to defame complainant.
Prophet Freddy succumbed to the illegitimate pressure and gave the accused person Mercedes Benz E-250 Reg No. 8983 which they agreed was valued at US15 000.
After some days Makuti reportedly started threatening Freddy again saying secretary Nollen Mundawaro had insulted her ,so she wanted a compensation of US$20 000 and also ordered complainant to make sure that the secretary does not represent his church on all their radio and television programs.
0n 11 November 2021 Makuti’s brother contacted Fredy and told him that he was giving him an ultimatum of up to the end of the day to pay the money and to sign an acknowledgement that he had raped the accused, failure to which would result in him exposing the matter.
Freddy realized that the extortion would continue and he reported the matter to the police leading to Makuti’s arrest.-iharare
