News / Regional
Mine Human Resources boss arrested for attempted rape
19 Jan 2013 at 09:37hrs | Views
MIMOSA Mine's Human Resources Executive, Mr Peter Mtombeni was on Tuesday picked up by police in Zvishavane for questioning on allegations of attempted rape or indecent assault.
However, the plot quickly took a new twist as part of the group of people who made the initial report to the police were later arrested for allegedly conspiring to supply false information to the police.
Police sources in Zvishavane said Mtombeni still has a case to answer although there were three suspects identified for allegedly supplying false information.
"The only problem that led to the police turning the tables on the three informants is that the case that led to Mr Mtombeni being picked up for questioning was stage-managed.
"Our investigations so far show that there is a lot going on at Mimosa than meets the eye. The incident is just a tip of the iceberg," said a police source in Zvishavane.
Sources at the mine said turmoil and intra-fighting for key positions have hit the Mimosa Mine Human Resources Department as staff members were now framing each other on cases that attract jail terms.
The sources at the giant platinum mine said there were allegations that some senior managers at the mine were demanding sexual favours from all females seeking employment.
They said some workers who were not happy with such conduct engaged the police on Monday and briefed them on the goings on at their work place.
The source said it was then arranged that they send a female to the mine pretending to be seeking employment.
The source said Mr Mtombeni fell for the trap leading to his arrest.
A police officer in Zvishavane confirmed that Mr Mtombeni was picked up on Tuesday for questioning in a matter involving attempted rape.
"We heard that Mr Mtombeni has allegedly been asking for sexual favours from prospective female employees and this has been going on for some time. Police picked him up at his workplace for questioning, but he was later released. However, the police have arrested three suspects for stage- managing an attempted rape case against Mtombeni. Investigations are still going on," said the police officer.
The police have, however, been giving contrasting signals on the matter ever since news of Mr Mtombeni's arrest broke out on Tuesday afternoon.
First they said Mr Mtombeni was facing attempted rape charges, then indecent assault before giving a completely different story yesterday that Mr Mtombeni was being falsely accused.
Acting police spokesperson for Midlands, Assistant Inspector Emmanuel Mahoko said the police have come up with a list of three suspects, who falsely accused Mr Mtombeni of attempted rape.
He said the police have since arrested two suspects, a female Nomatter Kondowe (30), of Nketa 7 in Bulawayo and Trevor Danha Mazhizha (29), of North End, Bulawayo.
"We can confirm that we are investigating a case that was initially reported as attempted rape involving a senior Mimosa Mine official. However, investigations are proving otherwise. There seems to have been a conspiracy to create the allegations. Thorough investigations are being done to establish the full circumstances and motive behind the people involved. Three suspects have since been identified.
"So far, charges of conspiracy to commit a crime and deliberately supplying false information to a public official in contravention of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act, Chapter 9:23, have since been preferred against the three suspects. Two of the suspects, Kondowe (a female adult) and Mazhizha, are in police custody while the third one is still at large," said Asst Insp Mahoko.
He said it was a serious crime to supply false information to the police against any individual, especially with a view to settle personal scores.
"Let me take this opportunity to warn others of like minds that once proved that one has supplied false information deliberately, that person would face a stern sentence. Investigations on the matter are still going on as we seek to establish the motive of the suspects," said Asst Insp Mahoko.
However, the plot quickly took a new twist as part of the group of people who made the initial report to the police were later arrested for allegedly conspiring to supply false information to the police.
Police sources in Zvishavane said Mtombeni still has a case to answer although there were three suspects identified for allegedly supplying false information.
"The only problem that led to the police turning the tables on the three informants is that the case that led to Mr Mtombeni being picked up for questioning was stage-managed.
"Our investigations so far show that there is a lot going on at Mimosa than meets the eye. The incident is just a tip of the iceberg," said a police source in Zvishavane.
Sources at the mine said turmoil and intra-fighting for key positions have hit the Mimosa Mine Human Resources Department as staff members were now framing each other on cases that attract jail terms.
The sources at the giant platinum mine said there were allegations that some senior managers at the mine were demanding sexual favours from all females seeking employment.
They said some workers who were not happy with such conduct engaged the police on Monday and briefed them on the goings on at their work place.
The source said it was then arranged that they send a female to the mine pretending to be seeking employment.
The source said Mr Mtombeni fell for the trap leading to his arrest.
"We heard that Mr Mtombeni has allegedly been asking for sexual favours from prospective female employees and this has been going on for some time. Police picked him up at his workplace for questioning, but he was later released. However, the police have arrested three suspects for stage- managing an attempted rape case against Mtombeni. Investigations are still going on," said the police officer.
The police have, however, been giving contrasting signals on the matter ever since news of Mr Mtombeni's arrest broke out on Tuesday afternoon.
First they said Mr Mtombeni was facing attempted rape charges, then indecent assault before giving a completely different story yesterday that Mr Mtombeni was being falsely accused.
Acting police spokesperson for Midlands, Assistant Inspector Emmanuel Mahoko said the police have come up with a list of three suspects, who falsely accused Mr Mtombeni of attempted rape.
He said the police have since arrested two suspects, a female Nomatter Kondowe (30), of Nketa 7 in Bulawayo and Trevor Danha Mazhizha (29), of North End, Bulawayo.
"We can confirm that we are investigating a case that was initially reported as attempted rape involving a senior Mimosa Mine official. However, investigations are proving otherwise. There seems to have been a conspiracy to create the allegations. Thorough investigations are being done to establish the full circumstances and motive behind the people involved. Three suspects have since been identified.
"So far, charges of conspiracy to commit a crime and deliberately supplying false information to a public official in contravention of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act, Chapter 9:23, have since been preferred against the three suspects. Two of the suspects, Kondowe (a female adult) and Mazhizha, are in police custody while the third one is still at large," said Asst Insp Mahoko.
He said it was a serious crime to supply false information to the police against any individual, especially with a view to settle personal scores.
"Let me take this opportunity to warn others of like minds that once proved that one has supplied false information deliberately, that person would face a stern sentence. Investigations on the matter are still going on as we seek to establish the motive of the suspects," said Asst Insp Mahoko.
Source - TC
