Gokwe Registrar officials up for $20 bribery judgment day set

The judgment in the case of two officials at the Gokwe South Registrar's office accused of demanding a bribe of $20 from a member of the Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) who lost his identity card and wanted to re-apply for a new one has been set for April 7.

The two Peter Gibson Masvinge (38) and John White Farai (40) both who are processing officers at the Gokwe South Registry offices represented by a lawyer Reginald Chidawanyika assisted by Solomon Kangembewu pleaded not guilty to bribery charge when they appeared before Gokwe Resident magistrate Shepherd Mjanja.

The magistrate granted them $100 bail each and on Friday set the date for their judgment as April 7 after the state closed its case.

The court heard that on January 22 this year, the ZNA member Keep Muringa of Sasame in Gokwe who is a cadet trainee as a soldier at 32 Infantry Battalion in Nyanga approached Masvinge at the registry office in need of a replacement of his identity card which was lost. Masvinge allegedly demanded $20 from him which he failed to raise. On January 26 Muringa went back to the registry office where he this time met Farai. Farai allegedly refereed him to Makombe Building in Harare.

On January 30 Muringa went to Makombe Building where he was referred back to the Gokwe South Registry where he had initially got the identity particulars.

On the same day he went to Gokwe South Registry office where he met Masvinge who demanded $20 in order to have his identity card processed.

Masvinge allegedly directed him to give the money to Farai who collected it and never gave Muringa a receipt.

Farai then processed the identity card for Muringa. Muringa later made a report to the police leading to the recovery of the $20 from Masvinge through the assistance of a public service commission inspector Sibusisiwe Mahefu. Further investigations also revealed that the two did not charge Muringa a 10 statutory fee to replace the lost identity card, which was contrary to the performance of their duties.

In their defence the two told the court that they never collected any money from Muringa.