CID boss faces more charges

Criminal Investigation Department (CID) director, Commissioner Chrispen Charumbira who was arrested on Thursday for allegedly accepting bribes from drug and gold dealers to stop criminal investigations, is likely to face more charges when he appears in court today, after four more junior officers from Mutare lodged complaints against him with the Special Anti-Corruption Unit (SACU).

Charumbira was arrested by SACU on Thursday after seven of his junior officers alleged he had been interfering with their duties by protecting drug and gold dealers after allegedly accepting bribes. He is assisting with investigations at Rhodesville Police Station pending his court appearance.

SACU has reportedly recorded statements from some of the junior officers who claim to have been transferred to outlying stations for defying Charumbira's orders to release arrested suspects.

Four more junior officers from the Manicaland Provincial Specialised Crack Unit arrived in the capital yesterday to have their statements recorded. The quartet said sometime in April this year, they teamed up and went to house number 10 Blesbok, Murambi, Mutare where a suspected gold dealer identified as David Crosby resides.

The team was acting on information that Crosby was illegally dealing in Gold. When they arrived at the house, they identified themselves to the occupants of the house through an intercom before asking to be allowed into the premises to conduct searches as they had a warrant issued at Mutare Magistrates Court.

The occupants reportedly denied them entry saying they wanted confirmation from Police General Headquarters (PGHQ) on whether or not they were real police officers.

Allegations are that Charumbira was contacted by the house occupants and told them not to comply with the officers who left without conducting their duties.

Investigations so far reveal that, among other allegations he is facing, is one dating from the days Charumbira was CID co-ordinator for Harare.

Another complaint states that three detectives from CID Drugs and Narcotics in Harare recently arrested two Mufakose drug dealers, Norman Chabata and his brother Charles, after raiding their home where they recovered dagga packed in sachets and bottles of BronCleer cough syrup. While at the scene, Charumbira reportedly called and ordered the officers to release the pair.

Their immediate boss however told them to follow proper procedures and proceed with investigations. They were all later allegedly summoned by Charumbira who informed them that their days at CID Drugs were numbered. Later, they were transferred to CID Chiredzi, CID Lupane and CID Mount Darwin.

Another junior officer also alleged that between February 2016 and March 2016, he received information from a truck driver who suspected that a consignment he was carrying from Malawi could be dagga.

The driver was to meet with the recipients in the city and the junior officer teamed up with his colleagues and intercepted the consignment.

Two sacks of mbanje were collected by two suspects who were arrested but were later acquitted by the courts. Charumbira is alleged to have also interfered with investigations when the two were arrested.

The junior officer told SACU that he was transferred from Harare to CID Hwange.