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Maxwell Chikumbutso flees Zimbabwe as investors demand refunds for fake products
Mar 7, 2025
Maxwell Chikumbutso, a self-proclaimed Zimbabwean inventor renowned for his purported development of self-powering vehicles and generators, has reportedly fled the country amid escalating demands from international investors for refunds on undelivered products. Chikumbutso's departure follows mounting allegations that his groundbreaking technologies were elaborate scams designed to defraud investors.
Chikumbutso gained prominence by claiming to have invented vehicles and energy devices capable of operating without traditional fuel sources, ostensibly powered by radio frequencies. These assertions attracted significant attention, culminating in a high-profile presentation at Zimbabwe's State House, where President Emmerson Mnangagwa lauded his innovations. The Ministry of Information, Publicity, and Broadcasting Services, along with Permanent Secretary Nick Mangwana, publicly endorsed Chikumbutso's work on social media platforms.
However, skepticism arose when international investors from countries including the Netherlands, Germany, France, and Poland traveled to Zimbabwe in early 2025 to evaluate Chikumbutso's technologies. According to reports, these investors encountered numerous obstacles in verifying the functionality of the purported inventions. Scheduled demonstrations were repeatedly postponed, and promised test drives of the self-powering vehicles never materialized. One investor, Arjan Gottmer, recounted, "We requested a test drive. First, it was supposed to be on Tuesday, then Wednesday, then Thursday. By Friday, Maxwell had left the country.
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