News / Local
3 ZRP officers arrested over US$200 bribe
23 Oct 2022 at 09:21hrs | Views
THREE Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) officers have found themselves in hot soup after extorting US$200 from an unsuspecting civilian.
The three,Taonga Fambirai, John Matonhodze and Thomas Mushangidze have been arraigned before Chivhu Magistrate Court.
The cops are all stationed at Chivhu Police Station and it is alleged they connived to extort US$200 from Simbarashe Musoni.
Circumstances are that on 17 October 2022 Fambirai and Matonhodze arrested Musoni for failure to account dutiable goods that were loaded in his vehicle.
The two escorted Musoni to Chivhu ZRP camp where they impounded his car.
Mushangidze, in connivance with his two colleagues, demanded US$200 bribe for Musoni's car to be released, threatening him with detention and a possible prosecution for smuggling if he failed to grease their hands.
Bowing down to pressure Musoni paid the US$200 bribe and the following day laid a formal report, which led to the arrest of the three police officers.
"The circumstances in which complainant (Musoni) was arrested was improper to suffice the charge of insecure load. The accused persons ordered the complainant and his friend to guard his impounded motor vehicle contrary to police duties. The accused persons did not search the goods in complainant's vehicle or bother to investigate complainant's alibi and went on to release the motor vehicle without clearing the suspicion of smuggling," reads police papers seen by NewZimbabwe.com.
The three police officers Thursday appeared before Sam Chitumwa at Chivhu Magistrate Court, who remanded them out of custody on ZW$20 000 each.
The three,Taonga Fambirai, John Matonhodze and Thomas Mushangidze have been arraigned before Chivhu Magistrate Court.
The cops are all stationed at Chivhu Police Station and it is alleged they connived to extort US$200 from Simbarashe Musoni.
Circumstances are that on 17 October 2022 Fambirai and Matonhodze arrested Musoni for failure to account dutiable goods that were loaded in his vehicle.
Mushangidze, in connivance with his two colleagues, demanded US$200 bribe for Musoni's car to be released, threatening him with detention and a possible prosecution for smuggling if he failed to grease their hands.
Bowing down to pressure Musoni paid the US$200 bribe and the following day laid a formal report, which led to the arrest of the three police officers.
"The circumstances in which complainant (Musoni) was arrested was improper to suffice the charge of insecure load. The accused persons ordered the complainant and his friend to guard his impounded motor vehicle contrary to police duties. The accused persons did not search the goods in complainant's vehicle or bother to investigate complainant's alibi and went on to release the motor vehicle without clearing the suspicion of smuggling," reads police papers seen by NewZimbabwe.com.
The three police officers Thursday appeared before Sam Chitumwa at Chivhu Magistrate Court, who remanded them out of custody on ZW$20 000 each.
Source - NewZimbabwe
