Hunt for Mugabe's top cop begins

FORMER Police Commissioner-General Augustine Chihuri and two serving senior officers face arrest on charges of criminal abuse of office following the completion of investigations into their cases.

Chihuri, who retired from the police service in December 2017, allegedly instructed Superintendent Edward Marodza and Inspector Joseph Nemaisa to arrest a Harare couple and grab their fleet of vehicles and title deeds to a Harare house at gunpoint on trumped up criminal charges.

Marodza is stationed at the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Marondera District headquarters, while Nemaisa is now at Chikurubi Support Unit.

The Herald understands that investigations into the case have been completed and a docket is now ready for court. Efforts are underway to locate Chihuri, who is suspected to be in Malawi, to enable justice to take its course.

The two other suspects are in Zimbabwe. Sources close to investigations said if Chihuri is located, extradition processes will be initiated to bring him back to Zimbabwe for prosecution.

They said Marodza and Nemaisa cannot be tried in the absence of Chihuri because the cases are inseparable.

The docket is now with the Special Anti-Corruption Unit (SACU). Chihuri, in his capacity as Commissioner-General of Police then, allegedly unleashed his subordinates on businessman Mr Bigboy Pachirera and his wife, Marygold.

Mr Pachirera, who is director of Chelpac Investments Private Limited, was once transport manager at Chihuri's company called Kidsdale Enterprises Private Limited. He worked for Chihuri between the period stretching from 1998 to December 2013. Around September 2013, Chihuri trumped up criminal charges against Mr Pachirera before assigning Marodza to lead the investigation team.

Pachirera was charged with corruptly concealing from a principal a personal interest in a transaction as defined under Section 173(1) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act. He was also charged with theft of trust property as well as fraud. Mr Pachirera was accused of swindling Chihuri defrauding of $81 000 despite the fact that no audit report had been compiled in respect of Kidsdale. Chihuri made a formal report against Pachirera at Chitungwiza Police Station on September 9 2013 before and Nemaisa to lead the team of investigators.

On December 21 2013, Marodza placed Mr Pachirera's Tipper trucks which were parked along Sherwood Road in Waterfalls, under police guard. He had to send armed police officers to do the guard duties.

The following day, Marodza summoned Mr Pachirera his office, where he demanded company registration documents for Chelnpac Investments.

Mr Pachirera complied and was later locked up at Harare Central Police Station. He was transferred to Chitungwiza police cells before being taken to court when the permissible detention period had lapsed. A Chitungwiza magistrate unconditionally released Mr Pachirera citing over-detention.

In January 2014, police officers, without any court order seized two construction trucks belonging to Mr Pachirera worth $250 000. The vehicles were taken to Vehicle Theft Squad in Southerton despite the fact that it was not stolen property. In the same month the detectives led by Nemaisa also arrested Mrs Pachirera and demanded to be shown more property belonging to Mr Pachirera.