News / Local
Alleged cop drug mule acquitted
23 Oct 2023 at 06:25hrs | Views
A police officer stationed at Buchwa in the Midlands province was acquitted on Friday of allegations that he conspired with drug syndicates to collect drugs from India while he was on leave.
Harrisom Muzarawetu, aged 35, was represented by Progress Maringamoyo when he appeared before Harare Magistrate Marehwanazvo Gofa.
Magistrate Gofa ruled that the recovery of Muzarawetu's passport was not sufficient evidence to hold a case against him. Furthermore, despite Muzarawetu's alleged involvement in drugs, no drugs were found on his person when he was arrested.
The magistrate also noted that Oshilla Chikwena, who had the passport, claimed not to be involved in drugs but instead lent money to people, holding the passport as collateral.
According to the prosecutor, Lancelot Mutsokoti, in 2019, Muzarawetu met Chikwena, who was allegedly the focal person in Zimbabwe for a foreign drug syndicate. They reportedly agreed that Muzarawetu would travel to India to collect Ephedrine drugs, which were intended to be sent to a drug kingpin in South Africa upon his return to Zimbabwe.
Muzarawetu provided his passport to Chikwena, who assisted in processing an Indian visa for him, valid from March 15, 2019, to April 14, 2019. To facilitate his trip to India, Muzarawetu applied for an urgent vacation leave from March 19, 2019, to April 15, 2019, under the pretext of attending to his sick wife.
He traveled to New Delhi, India on April 7, 2019, via Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport and returned on April 15, 2019, through the same airport. Notably, Muzarawetu allegedly left the country without obtaining permission from the police commissioner-general, as required by regulations.
On April 6, 2021, the CID Drugs and Narcotics Harare received information that Chikwena was involved in the illicit drug trade and served as the focal person in Zimbabwe for an international drug syndicate. The following day, a search was conducted at Chikwena's residence in Manyame Park, Chitungwiza, resulting in the seizure of drugs, including crystal meth and cocaine.
Muzarawetu's passport was recovered from Chikwena's bedroom, along with three other passports, all of which had multiple-entry Indian visas valid from December 3, 2020, to February 2, 2021. Chikwena informed the police that she had sent Muzarawetu to India to collect drugs and had paid him R15,000 after he brought the drugs into the country. Subsequent checks confirmed Muzarawetu's 2019 trip to India, leading to his arrest at his workplace.
Harrisom Muzarawetu, aged 35, was represented by Progress Maringamoyo when he appeared before Harare Magistrate Marehwanazvo Gofa.
Magistrate Gofa ruled that the recovery of Muzarawetu's passport was not sufficient evidence to hold a case against him. Furthermore, despite Muzarawetu's alleged involvement in drugs, no drugs were found on his person when he was arrested.
The magistrate also noted that Oshilla Chikwena, who had the passport, claimed not to be involved in drugs but instead lent money to people, holding the passport as collateral.
Muzarawetu provided his passport to Chikwena, who assisted in processing an Indian visa for him, valid from March 15, 2019, to April 14, 2019. To facilitate his trip to India, Muzarawetu applied for an urgent vacation leave from March 19, 2019, to April 15, 2019, under the pretext of attending to his sick wife.
He traveled to New Delhi, India on April 7, 2019, via Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport and returned on April 15, 2019, through the same airport. Notably, Muzarawetu allegedly left the country without obtaining permission from the police commissioner-general, as required by regulations.
On April 6, 2021, the CID Drugs and Narcotics Harare received information that Chikwena was involved in the illicit drug trade and served as the focal person in Zimbabwe for an international drug syndicate. The following day, a search was conducted at Chikwena's residence in Manyame Park, Chitungwiza, resulting in the seizure of drugs, including crystal meth and cocaine.
Muzarawetu's passport was recovered from Chikwena's bedroom, along with three other passports, all of which had multiple-entry Indian visas valid from December 3, 2020, to February 2, 2021. Chikwena informed the police that she had sent Muzarawetu to India to collect drugs and had paid him R15,000 after he brought the drugs into the country. Subsequent checks confirmed Muzarawetu's 2019 trip to India, leading to his arrest at his workplace.
Source - newsday
