CID detective arrested for extortion

A police officer stationed at CID Headquarters is under investigation after allegedly accepting money from a businessman, claiming it would be used to facilitate the arrest of a suspect in a fraud case.

Donald Mutsau appeared before Harare magistrate Mrs Jessie Kufa yesterday but was not asked to plead. He was released on US$200 bail.

The complainant, Cephas Gasura, director of Nhari Motors in Glen Norah B, reported that Mutsau approached him in December last year regarding a fraud case against a man named Vitalis Munemo, who was reportedly at large and under investigation by the CID Commercial Crimes Division.

According to court documents, on December 23, Mutsau visited Gasura at his workplace and offered to assist in apprehending Munemo after being given his full details. The following day, Mutsau claimed he had information that Munemo had fled to Bulawayo and requested US$280 from Gasura to fund the trip, despite not having contacted any investigating officers.

Mutsau later claimed to have arrested Munemo on December 30 and demanded additional money for accommodation and food. Gasura, growing suspicious of the officer's actions, subsequently filed a police report.

Investigations into the alleged solicitation of funds by the CID officer are ongoing.