CIO operative found guilty, sentencing to be handed down today

A member of the Central Intelligence Organisation accused of extorting two vehicles from a land developer on the pretext that he would provide personal security services to him was yesterday found guilty following a full trial.

The operative, Nesbert Chinoputsa was remanded to today for sentencing by Harare magistrate Noticia Shenje.

The court was told that Chinoputsa forced Brian Michael Jackson to surrender to him a Mazda B2200 truck and a Nissan Bluebird sedan as payment for protection after alleged unusual and unclear life threatening occurances at the complainant’s workplace and residence which would end fatally.

During trial he, however, denied the charge saying the State witnesses’ evidence was not convincing enough.

But the State led by prosecutor Shambadzeni Fungura revealed to the court that Chinoputsa drilled fear in Jackson’s mind, which saw him unwillingly surrendering the vehicles.

Apparently, Shenje ruled that the State had proved a prima facie case against the CIO agent, hence the pending sentencing reserved for today.

The court heard that in 2019, Chinoputsa was asked by Jackson to provide personal security services.

It was reported that Chinoputsa drilled fear in Jackson by warning him that some people wanted to kill him, hence the need for him to seek protection.

On January 7, 2022, Jackson reported the extortion, leading to recovery of the cars at Chinoputsa’s residence in Kuwadzana Extension.