Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) spokesperson Senior
Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba yesterday said she was not an imbecile
as was allegedly suggested by Assistant Inspector James Mabasa, who is on trial
for insulting her.
Giving evidence against her subordinate, Charamba said
Police Commissioner-General Augustine Chihuri could not have appointed her to
the position of public relations officer if she was an imbecile.
“He (Mabasa) insulted me. How can he call me a person of
low intelligence, an imbecile, moron and a person of extreme mental
retardation? My boss Commissioner-General Chihuri could not have appointed me
to my position if I was an idiot,” Charamba said.
Mabasa’s lawyer, Ashiel Mugiya, then asked Charamba if she
had evidence to prove that his client was the one who insulted her.
Charamba said she had faith in the investigation officers
who handled the matter.
Mugiya again asked Charamba if she was the one who reported
the matter to the police and she said her deputy, Paul Nyathi, did it on her
behalf.
Charamba was also asked if what happened regarding the
reporting of the matter was consistent with the country’s Constitution, to
which she responded that there were reasons why Nyathi reported on her behalf.
The trial was then postponed to October 30 for
continuation.
Allegations against Mabasa are that on May 15 this year, he
sent a message to a social group, which read: “The police used to hold meetings
with magistrates and other law enforcement stakeholders to map a way forward,
reducing lawlessness, but now it’s the other way round, the public have
meetings with lawyers on ways to disregard police. The public relations office
is headed by an idiot who doesn’t know that she has to encourage the public to
be compliant to the police.”
Francisca Mukumbiri and Oscar Madhume appeared for the
State. Newsday
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