BOGUS Mnangagwa Daughter defrauds CBZ of US$37k, Gets Gold Claim

A Tynwald woman who passed herself off as President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s daughter, defrauded CBZ of US$37 000 plus interest, and also benefitted a gold claim from the Zimbabwe National Parks and Wildlife Authority.

The 44-year-old fraudster, Chirambe Chikafu who has four different ID cards and a fake address, says her real name is ‘Chantelle Chikafu Mnangagwa, and claims to be the daughter of the Zimbabwe leader’s elder brother, Partson Mnangagwa.

Chikafu, who also claims that she lost her I.D card, was not asked to plead when she appeared before Harare magistrate Victoria Mashamba on Wednesday.

Mashamba remanded the fake ‘First Daughter’ in custody until June 23 and she faces two counts of fraud.

In denying the cunning impostor bail, the magistrate said there was a real possibility Chikafu could ‘disappear into yet another identity’.

“According to police investigations, accused has four IDs she is using including the name Chantelle Mnangagwa. She was also fined $6 000 on a previous conviction in Mount Darwin. She had given the police the address of 4099 Tynwald South in Harare, but she had left those premises three years ago.

The stand has since been converted to a private college.

“Bearing in mind that she has four IDs she is using, she will manufacture false documents and had the propensity to commit similar offences while linking herself to the President, whereas her name is Chirambe Chikafu.

“The cellphone she provided, 0772 289 977 is registered in the name of one Chantelle Chikafu. This also shows that she uses various alias,” said Lancelot Mutsokota, who prosecuted.

He also told the court that there are 10 witnesses who are set testify on how the Chantelle Mnangagwa masquerade committed the offences.

Chikafu, who was facing a plethora of civil suits at the High Court, and had filed an urgent application to terminate the gold mining contract with ZimParks, was ambushed and arrested when she visited the ZimParks director-general on Monday.

The accused, who still contends through her lawyers that she’s actually the president’s niece and Partson Mnangagwa’s daughter, told the court that a miner, John Maungwa caused her arrest, following misunderstandings on boundaries to their gold claims.

“There was a Government facility where youths would get loans during the time of former minister Saviour Kasukuwere.”

She obtained a loan and when she failed to pay the loan an agreement was made with Zimbabwe Asset Management Corporation. Later the loan was paid in full,” she said.

In 2010, Chikafu allegedly approached CBZ and tried to open an account using a defensive driving certificate as identity.

The bank wanted a real ID and initially declined to let her open the account, but the now remanded female quadragenarian allegedly connived with a CBZ employee Lilian Mateta, who processed the account without the needed ID.

Using the name Chantelle Mnangagwa, Chikafu received a US$2 000 overdraft from the bank.
It is the state’s case that in August 2011, the accused was lent another US$15 000 after submitting a Deed of Transfer she allegedly stole from her mother, Grace Chikafu.

On September 12, 2012, she received a US$20 000 loan and failed to repay accruing a US$88 775 debt in the process, including interests.

On November 19, 2019 Chikafu is said to have approached Nyasha Mutyambizi and passed herself as Chantelle Mnangagwa. She allegedly sought an agreement to mine in Umfurudzi Safari Area and tendered a fake ID.

The Parks and Wildlife Management reportedly consented and issued the agreement. With that piece of paper she approached the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development seeking a special gold mining grant for 200 hectares in the reserved area.

The court also heard that the special grant was granted in December 2019 but it was later discovered that the mine site that was granted to her belonged to a one ,John Maungwa.

State Media

Additional Reporting: Zwnews