Detectives extortion case takes a new twist

THE case in which two detectives allegedly extorted R80 000 from two gold dealers has taken a new twist with the complainants querying the contents of the docket, saying it has been altered.

Mr Jabulani Gwizi and Mr Aleck Zikhali gave their evidence in court on Tuesday and alleged that the contents of their statements in the docket were different from what was recorded when they first reported the matter.

During cross-examination, Mr Gwizi and Mr Zikhali told the court that the two Detective Sergeants, Moses Taruva (36) and Godfrey Moyo (38) were now claiming they had no gun when they raided the two at their house.

Mr Zikhali told the court that the two detectives initially said they had come to arrest him for possessing a gun and later changed the statements, saying they wanted to arrest him for possessing electrical gadgets suspected to have been stolen.

He told the court that most of the information was now different from what was recorded by the investigating officers.

Mr Gwizi and Mr Zikhali said they wanted a taxi driver and their landlord, who both witnessed the events on the day of their arrest to come and testify in court.

Det Sgts Taruva and Moyo are appearing before Western Commonage magistrate Mrs Tancy Dube and their lawyer is Mr David Mhiribidi, of D W Mhiribidi and Company.

The magistrate postponed the matter to Tuesday for judgement. Det Sgt Taruva, of Flat D5 Ross Camp was assigned to the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) Residential while Det Sgt Moyo, of Sibet Court, at the corner of Jason Moyo Street and 14th Avenue, was attached to CID Theft at Bulawayo Central Police Station.

It is alleged that the two extorted money from Mr Gwizi and Mr Zikhali after threatening to arrest them for smuggling gold to South Africa. The two detectives allegedly told their victims that they were lucky to be alive as they had been sent to arrest and kill them by the South African Police Service.

The court was told that on 1 September, Det Sgts Taruva and Moyo, who were off duty, hatched a plan to extort money from the complainants and drove to Luveve Police Station in a vehicle driven by Moyo. They were allegedly armed with a service pistol and phoned Constable Nyamukanya who was on duty at Luveve Police Station.

It is alleged that the two misrepresented to him that they wanted to arrest Mr Gwizi for a series of unlawful entry cases and they wanted a police officer in uniform to escort them.

When they got to House Number 1016 Emakhandeni, they handcuffed Messrs Gwizi and Zikhali, who they allegedly started assaulting before shoving them into their car.

The court was told that they drove to Luveve Police Station where they dropped Const Nyamukanya after allegedly telling him that they were taking the two complainants to Bulawayo Central Police Station. It is alleged that the two detectives demanded a bribe of R100 000 and fearing for their lives, Messrs Gwizi and Zikhali told them that they had some money in Mpopoma.

They allegedly drove to a house in Mpopoma where the two detectives took away R80 000 and a cash box and left the complainants with R20 000.

The court was told that the detectives took the two complainants to Western Commonage Police Station where they were helped by Const Chinanzvire to uncuff them.

Det Sgts Taruva and Moyo allegedly dumped Messrs Gwizi and Zikhali at Nguboyenja flyover after warning them not to tell anyone about what had happened.

The two complainants reported the matter to the police on 2 September leading to the arrest of the two.

The money and cash box were not recovered.

Mr Tony Kamudyariwa is representing the State.