Top cop crucifies subordinate

POLICE Deputy Commissioner-General Lorraine Chipato yesterday told the court that under-fire police commissioner in charge of Matabeleland North province, Erasmus Makodza, did not write a report to the principal disclosing his interest in the awarding of a tender to his alleged ex-girlfriend on a police farm in Marondera.

Makodza is accused of criminal abuse of office after he allegedly influenced the awarding of a farming contract to his ex-girlfriend, Maonei Chapfudza.

Represented by Tapiwa Makanza of Makanza Law Chambers, Makodza appeared before Harare magistrate Noel Mupeiwa.

While leading evidence, Chipato said she was the administrator of all police farming activities in the country and had no knowledge of the relationship between Makodza and Chipfudza.

She said Makodza should have written to Police Commissioner-General Godwin Matanga declaring his interest in the tender.

Chipato said the fact that Chapfudza had a child with Makodza should be an administrative issue, not a criminal one.

"I didn't know that the two were in a relationship, I only came to know of this during the recording of my statement," she said, adding that Makodza was supposed to declare to Matanga through a report that he had a relationship with the investor.

"A partner can come from any station. If officer commanding is satisfied with the investor in the province, he can write a report to the commissioner-general to ask him to go ahead," Chipato said.

She also told the court that she did not know if Makodza played a part in the selection of Chapfudza as an investor.

Another State witness, Steven Zengeya, told the court that the selection was done above board, but he did not know of the relationship.

Fungai Marange, another State witness who was part of the selection committee, told the court that he was never told of the relationship between Makodza and Chapfudza. The trial will continue on October 7.