By Court Reporter
In a shocking turn of events, Martin Denga (29) found himself caught in a web of deceit as his fabricated tale of a gunpoint robbery crumbled under the weight of a meticulous police investigation.
Denga had spun an elaborate story of being stripped of a significant sum of US$2,500, which he claimed belonged to a friend. However, it was soon discovered that his account was nothing more than a desperate attempt to evade accountability.
On the morning of April 29, Denga reported the alleged robbery to Constable Nyangani at Milton Park Police Station.
According to his narrative, Denga had purchased groceries on behalf of a friend and was on his way to Kuwadzana when he fell victim to a brazen robbery.
He claimed that three individuals in a silver Honda Fit had offered him a ride, only to hold him at gunpoint and rob him of his money and mobile phone.
Taking the report seriously, Constable Nyangani referred the case to the Homicide division of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to conduct a thorough investigation.
The CID Homicide unit interviewed both Denga and the supposed friend, Solomon Mudoti. However, Mudoti vehemently denied ever entrusting Denga with any funds.
As the investigation unfolded, Denga’s intricate web of falsehoods began to unravel. Faced with mounting evidence against him, Denga confessed to fabricating the report and admitted to squandering the money that had been entrusted to his care.
His motive behind the deception remained undisclosed.
Subsequently, Denga stood before Harare magistrate Ruth Moyo and entered a plea of guilty for obstructing justice. Surprisingly, considering the severity of his actions, Denga managed to evade severe punishment.
The court imposed a penalty of either a $100 fine or three months imprisonment.
