Fraud suspect remains behind bars

JAMES Landon, who was arrested at the Harare Magistrates’ Court car park on Monday for flouting his bail conditions, will spend another night in custody after an inquiry into the matter was postponed to Wednesday.

In the main matter, Landon is accused of duping Nyasa Air Charter in a botched US$1, 5 million partnership deal.

His arrest on Monday, comes after he allegedly sent threatening messages to one of the witnesses in the matter, Garvin Bredenkamp and his wife.

He also failed to report to the police as part of his bail conditions.

Prosecutor Lancelot Mutsokoti has so far led evidence from Bredenkamp, who told the court that Landon, who blocked him on WhatsApp in 2021, sent the threatening messages last month.

The investigating officer and Bredenkamp’s wife are set to give their testimony on Wednesday.

Landon’s lawyer Munyaradzi Midzi produced a doctor’s note, claiming his client failed to report to the police because he was not feeling well.

He also argued that when his client sent the messages, he wasn’t aware that Bredenkamp was a witness in the matter.

However, Bredenkamp said Landon could have been aware that he was a witness in the matter, adding that he felt threatened by the messages.

Landon allegedly forged businessman Adam Woodington Wood’s signature in a botched aircraft service partnership deal.

He was last month gagged from speaking to the media after Wood through the State also sought to have his bail revoked for sending threatening messages to him.

In the matter, the State accused him of providing prejudicial information to the media as well as sending threatening messages to Wood.

Wood had also accused Landon of speaking malicious lies to the media on a case that is still before the court in a bid to influence the case outcome.