News / National
Investigating Officer sucked in bribe scam
14 May 2018 at 15:47hrs | Views
In a sudden twist of events that exposed Assistant Inspector Ishmael Zireva, who was the investigating officer in a case involving two border control officers, Clayton Chipembere and Clopas Nhamburo, who were facing charges of taking bribes, the complaint during cross examination openly agreed that he also sent money to Zivera.
When asked by the accused's defence counsel, Langton Mhungu; the complainant in the matter, Samuel Moyo revealed that he sent $20 through EcoCash to Ass Inspector Zivera.
However, in her judgement Magistrate Geradine Mutsoto noted that the defence showed that Zireva was bribed by the Moyo.
"What however, is worth nothing in this case which cannot remain not highlighted is the fact that, after the arrest of the complainant the investigating officer went on to conduct what he alleged were business dealings with the complainant who by then was the accused person.
"In as much as the court is not well versed with the Police procedures, the court believes it is common cause that such association was improper and uncalled for as the complainant had a pending case at the police station," stated Magistrate Mutsoto.
She went further to note that, "During cross examination it is clear that the defence attacked the manner in which the investigating officer conducted his duties which they indicated showed bias in favour of the complainant, and also that the complainant had bribed the investigating officer so that he would not perform his duties as is prescribed by the law.
"This included the fact that he had not warned and cautioned the accused persons. He indicated that the accussed persons were not forthcoming, but he did not indicate that the accused persons had been warned cautioned, but had refused give statements or sign the statements such that it boggles the mind of the court as to whether or not that was done in adherence to the constitution."
This came to light in court case in which Chipembere and Nhamburo were accused jointly or individually to have received different amounts of money from Samuel Moyo whose vehicles are plying the Musina-Chiredzi route amounting to $222 between January and December 2016.
Moyo of house number 1149 Dilibadzimu Township in Beitbridge had alleged that he bought a refrigerator for Chipembere worth R3 800, in order for his vehicles Gutu Motors and Travel Tour to gain free passage.
He went on to tell the court that the two once impounded his Mercedes Benz sprinter registration number ABQ5160 at Masimbiti shopping centre along Ngundu-Tanganda highway before demanding a bribe from him.
He further stated that he paid the two by transferring money through Ecocash amounts ranging from $16, $18, $50, $26, $52, and $60 throughout the year. The statement for the transactions made was produced in court. The matter came to light when Moyo gave a bribe of $50 to Tinashe Chapungu also of the border control section and was subsequently arrested.
When asked by the accused's defence counsel, Langton Mhungu; the complainant in the matter, Samuel Moyo revealed that he sent $20 through EcoCash to Ass Inspector Zivera.
However, in her judgement Magistrate Geradine Mutsoto noted that the defence showed that Zireva was bribed by the Moyo.
"What however, is worth nothing in this case which cannot remain not highlighted is the fact that, after the arrest of the complainant the investigating officer went on to conduct what he alleged were business dealings with the complainant who by then was the accused person.
"In as much as the court is not well versed with the Police procedures, the court believes it is common cause that such association was improper and uncalled for as the complainant had a pending case at the police station," stated Magistrate Mutsoto.
She went further to note that, "During cross examination it is clear that the defence attacked the manner in which the investigating officer conducted his duties which they indicated showed bias in favour of the complainant, and also that the complainant had bribed the investigating officer so that he would not perform his duties as is prescribed by the law.
"This included the fact that he had not warned and cautioned the accused persons. He indicated that the accussed persons were not forthcoming, but he did not indicate that the accused persons had been warned cautioned, but had refused give statements or sign the statements such that it boggles the mind of the court as to whether or not that was done in adherence to the constitution."
This came to light in court case in which Chipembere and Nhamburo were accused jointly or individually to have received different amounts of money from Samuel Moyo whose vehicles are plying the Musina-Chiredzi route amounting to $222 between January and December 2016.
Moyo of house number 1149 Dilibadzimu Township in Beitbridge had alleged that he bought a refrigerator for Chipembere worth R3 800, in order for his vehicles Gutu Motors and Travel Tour to gain free passage.
He went on to tell the court that the two once impounded his Mercedes Benz sprinter registration number ABQ5160 at Masimbiti shopping centre along Ngundu-Tanganda highway before demanding a bribe from him.
He further stated that he paid the two by transferring money through Ecocash amounts ranging from $16, $18, $50, $26, $52, and $60 throughout the year. The statement for the transactions made was produced in court. The matter came to light when Moyo gave a bribe of $50 to Tinashe Chapungu also of the border control section and was subsequently arrested.
Source - Online
