ZBC engineer Mutetepi Maushe appeared in court Friday on allegations of attempting to extort Prophet Tapiwa Freddy of US$20 000 after threatening to expose a love affair between the prophet and radio presenter Rutendo Makuti.
Maushe (36) was not asked to plead to extortion charges when he appeared before magistrate Dennis Mangosi, who remanded him to December 7 on free bail.
Maushe purported to be Rutendo’s brother in the alleged bid to extort the clergyman.
According to the State, sometime last year, Goodness and Mercy Ministries leader T Freddy was involved in a love affair with Makuti.
During the relationship, Mutetepi allegedly connived with Rutendo to extort money from Freddy and started threatening him as a brother to her. He was using the name Tapson Makuti.
Allegations are that Mutetepi instructed Freddy, in a phone call, to pay Rutendo US$20 000 for their love affair not to be exposed to the public and to avoid allegations of rape against him.
Sometime this month, Mutetepi called Freddy and allegedly gave him an ultimatum of up to the end of the day to pay the US$20 000 and sign a document admitting that he raped his “sister”.
Freddy noted the extortionist tendencies and reported the matter to police.
Meanwhile, Radio Zimbabwe presenter Rutendo appeared in court on November 12 accused of extorting Freddy for US$35 000.
Rutendo, 33, was granted $5000 bail by Harare magistrate Sheunesu Matova, who remanded her to December 9.
