6 cops in trouble for skipping bail conditions

Six police officers, who are facing charges of assaulting a commuter omnibus operator at a police post in Eastlea, Harare, were yesterday reported to the court for breaching their bail conditions.

Munyaradzi Bvukumbwe (23), Vivian Kapaso (25), Herbert Tsiga (25), Eriswort Gazimbi (27), Khululekhani Dale (27) and Prize Mpofu (27) were last week granted free bail by Harare magistrate, Barbara Chimboza.

But the six were issued with a warrant of arrest on Tuesday after they allegedly absconded from the court in the afternoon, when they revealed that their lawyer, Steven Chikotora, had not come to court for their case.

However, the warrant was cancelled after Chikotora submitted that he was attending another matter at the High Court.

The witness, Gift Mukusha, told the court that the suspects went to his house asking him to withdraw the matter and he refused.

Mukusha further alleges that he had audio evidence, where the suspects were promising to pay all his medical bills, saying they were in trouble at work.

Chikotora asked Mukusha if he had evidence that the suspects visited his residence, to which he replied that his child and wife could testify. One of the suspects, Kapaso, allegedly ate Mukusha's supper at his residence on the day in question.

Chimboza was expected to rule on the matter later yesterday.

Allegations are that on March 11 this year, the six officers arrested the complainant's commuter omnibus driver and took him to VID Eastlea.

It is alleged the complainant, followed and saw the accused assaulting the commuter omnibus driver.

The State alleges the complainant recorded the incident using his phone.

The six were enraged and Bvukumbwe hit the complainant's phone with his hand and it fell on the ground, damaging the screen.

It is alleged when the complainant was picking up his phone, the suspects assaulted him using batons, open hands and fists several times.

Bvukumbwe is also charged separately for malicious damage to property for damaging the complainant's phone.

The police officers are accused of assaulting the unnamed driver after he failed to pay a bribe.

Sebastian Mutizirwa is prosecuting for the State.