Bribery cop claims 'indecent assault'

The officer-in-charge of Mbare Police Station, who was arrested last week, used to demand $60 per week from commuter omnibus operators for free passage of their fleets in her policing jurisdiction, a court heard on Friday.

Violet Sigauke (55) was arrested on Thursday following a trap during which she allegedly received $60 from a commuter omnibus operator.

She reportedly tried to swallow the trap money. Sigauke appeared before Harare magistrate Mr Lazini Ncube facing criminal abuse of duty as a public officer.

She was remanded to February 27 on $100 bail.

Mr Ncube ordered her to surrender her passport and to reside at her given address pending finalisation of the matter.

Through her lawyer, Mr Ashiel Mugiya, Sigauke told the court that four male colleagues who arrested her indecently touched her during a body search.

"The accused was sexually harassed during her arrest. She was arrested by a team of four male detectives," said Mr Mugiya.

"She was subjected to bodily search with no resemblance to dignity. I will not go into detail of the body parts she was violated. She was traumatised by the conduct."

The complainant in the matter is a police officer, Thomas Mabgwe, who is stationed at Police General Headquarters (PGHQ) in Harare.

Prosecuting, Ms Francesca Mukumbiri alleged that in January this year, Sigauke phoned Kudzai Mapako who is employed by Mama Ru commuter omnibus company as a manager.

It is alleged she ordered him to pay $120 for free passage of his commuter omnibuses for two weeks.

The court heard that Mapako met Sigauke at a bank in Graniteside in Harare and paid $40 as part of the bribe money.

It is alleged Sigauke told Mapako the money was too little and that he was to pay $60 per week for free passage of his fleet.

On February 8 this year Sigauke phoned Mapako demanding the money, it is alleged.

Mapako allegedly contacted his friend, Reuben Chimanja, and asked him to pay the money on his behalf since he was out of Harare.

Mapako advised Sigauke that he was sending someone.

Around 3pm the same day, Chimanja went to PGHQ and reported that Sigauke was demanding a bribe from his friend.

A trap was authorised and four members of the police intelligence unit went to Mbare Police Station.

Chimanja allegedly gave the trap money to his conductor Wilson Siwela to hand over to Sigauke around 6pm.

The money was in two $20 notes and two $10 notes.

The four police officers immediately entered Sigauke's office, identified themselves and showed her the trap authority.

Mabgwe reached for Sigauke's drawer and she stood up, removed her belt and threatened to assault Siwela for betraying her.

It is alleged that she tried to swallow the trap money while resisting arrest and bit Mabgwe's left thumb during the scuffle.

She spat out the money and the notes tallied with the photocopies.