A FIRED junior woman police detective, who was discharged
after she extorted US$2 250 from a suspected forex dealer following arrest, has
taken Commissioner-General Godwin Matanga to court challenging her dismissal.
Ex-Det Constable, Petty Mlauzi, who was attached to the
Criminal Intelligence Unit registry in Bulawayo, was discharged on Monday. Mlauzi seeks an order staying her dismissal pending the
finalisation of her application for review before the High Court.
She also wants an order blocking her eviction from a ZRP
house at the Western Commonage.
Mlauzi, through her lawyers Mugiya and Macharaga Law
Chambers, yesterday filed an urgent chamber application at the Bulawayo High
Court pending review, citing Comm-Gen Matanga and the Police Service Commission
as respondents.
Mlauzi, in her founding affidavit, said she was tried by a
single officer for violating the Police Act, convicted and sentenced to eight
days’ imprisonment at the detention barracks.
Dissatisfied with the conviction and sentence, she appealed
to Comm-Gen Matanga and the appeal was dismissed.
“I filed an application for review under case number
HC7003/18 querying the decision of the first respondent (Comm-Gen Matanga) to
dismiss my appeal on a technicality against the settled principle that labour
matters must be decided on technicalities,” he said.
Mlauzi said the urgent chamber application followed a radio
signal discharging her despite a pending review matter before the High Court.
“I have therefore approached this honourable court with the
present application on an urgent basis for an order that my discharge be stayed
pending finalisation of my application for review under case number HC7003/18.
The matter is urgent in that there is a risk that I will be
immediately evicted from police accommodation and the respondents’ agents were
sent to harass me and I ended up seeking refuge at my legal practitioner’s
offices,” she said.
Mlauzi said there was also a risk of losing her salary.
“The respondents can still execute the discharge in the
event that my application fails and therefore they will suffer no prejudice if
they are to stay their processes until this court finalises the matter,” she
said.
On December 8, 2017, at around 11AM, the complainant Ms
Sicelo Sibanda and one Mr Mehluli Bhebhe were inside their car, a Toyota Ipsum,
parked near Bulawayo Centre in the central business district counting US$4 250.
Mlauzi who was in the company of Detective Sergeant Thomas
Hofisi, approached Ms Sibanda and Mr Bhebhe and identified themselves as police
officers.
They got into the car and accused Ms Sibanda and Mr Bhebhe
of engaging in illegal foreign currency trade and arrested them.
They directed Mr Bhebhe to drive towards Bulawayo Prison
and along the way they demanded money in exchange for their release.
They took US$2 250 leaving the complainants with only US$2
000. Ms Sibanda contacted her husband who is based in South
Africa. A report was made to the police, leading to the arrest of the two
detectives. Chronicle
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