The Deputy Minister in the Ministry of Defence and War Veterans, Victor Matemadanda, yesterday appeared in court to testify against a man who masqueraded as a magistrate and duped him $600.

Tinashe Munhuweyi, (accused) is believed to have deceived Matemadanda by pretending to be Justice Mafios Cheda, the former Bulawayo High Court judge. Matemadanda alleges that he lost $600 to the accused on 17 September 2018. He further indicated that Munhuweyi indicated the money was for refueling his trucks which he said were at the Chirundu border post.

Matemadanda who later conducted his own investigations discovered that he had been tricked. He reported the matter leading to Munhuweyi’s arrest.

The accused is believed to have used the same methods to dupe a Great Zimbabwe University professor Ben Siyakwazi, High Court judge Justice Simpson Mutambanengwe’s son, Naboth, Rudo Kariramombe and Bubi legislator Moyo.

Munhuweyi, however, denied allegations. He told the court that he never benefitted anything from Matemadanda except through his services to the public via government.263 chat