News / Local
Senior Cop acquitted of violating Police Act
02 Jul 2012 at 09:06hrs | Views
Former Officer Commanding (Police Law and Order Section) in Bulawayo Andrew Mupungu has been acquitted by a city magistrate on charges of violating the Police Act.
Mupungu was charged with violating section 34 of the Police Act (conduct likely to bring the police force into disrepute) after he was accused him of leading a riotous team to evict employees at Black Empowerment Mine in Bulawayo's Cement Siding area.
Bulawayo magistrate Tancy Dube on Friday acquitted him after the State failed to prove a prima facie case against him.
Allegations are that on January 28 last year, Mupungu, who has since been transferred to Harare, led a team of "riotous" people to Black Empowerment Mine in Bulawayo's Cement Siding area where they wanted to evict employees of the mine.
The "gang" is alleged to have acted in a "riotous and violent manner", threatening to assault the workers while Mupungu reportedly took no action.
Mupungu's lawyer Charles Paul Moyo confirmed that his client had been cleared of the charges.
"He was found not guilty at the close of the State case. The State failed to prove a prima facie case against him. The court also ruled that the two witnesses were not reliable and one of them actually admitted that he was lying to the court," Moyo said.
Mupungu was charged with violating section 34 of the Police Act (conduct likely to bring the police force into disrepute) after he was accused him of leading a riotous team to evict employees at Black Empowerment Mine in Bulawayo's Cement Siding area.
Bulawayo magistrate Tancy Dube on Friday acquitted him after the State failed to prove a prima facie case against him.
Allegations are that on January 28 last year, Mupungu, who has since been transferred to Harare, led a team of "riotous" people to Black Empowerment Mine in Bulawayo's Cement Siding area where they wanted to evict employees of the mine.
The "gang" is alleged to have acted in a "riotous and violent manner", threatening to assault the workers while Mupungu reportedly took no action.
Mupungu's lawyer Charles Paul Moyo confirmed that his client had been cleared of the charges.
"He was found not guilty at the close of the State case. The State failed to prove a prima facie case against him. The court also ruled that the two witnesses were not reliable and one of them actually admitted that he was lying to the court," Moyo said.
Source - Byo24News
