TWO female police detectives based in Bulawayo have
approached the High Court challenging their superiors’ decision to move them to
other stations.
The two cops, only identified as Detective Sergeant Moyo
and Detective Constable Gambiza, are part of a group of police officers who
were recently redeployed to other stations.
They were initially stationed in Bulawayo before they were
moved to stations in Manicaland and Mashonaland Central provinces respectively.
Det Sgt Moyo was moved from Bulawayo’s CID Drugs to
Hillside Police Station in the CID section. She is now being transferred to
Muzokomba Police Station in Chipinge, Manicaland.
The two detectives, through their lawyers Mugiya and
Macharaga Law Chambers, on Friday filed an urgent chamber application at the
Bulawayo High Court challenging the latest transfers.
In papers before the court, Police Commissioner-General
Godwin Matanga, Chief Staff Officer Human Resources and one Chief
Superintendent Mashonganyika, who is the commander of the CID Drugs in
Bulawayo, are the respondents.
In their founding affidavits, Det Sgt Moyo and Det Const
Gambiza said their transfers to two different stations within a period of one
month and without any valid reason was a violation of their constitutional
right.
“I am a police officer under the command of the second
respondent (Supt Mashonganyika) and was stationed at CID Drugs in Bulawayo
before I was transferred to CID Hillside in Bulawayo on November 5, 2019. On
November 6, I was shocked when I got transferred to ZRP Muzokomba,” said Det
Sgt Moyo.
“There are now two transfers from the same authority moving
me to two different stations and what prompted me to file this application on
urgent basis is that on December 8, I was told by my officer in charge at CID Hillside
to go to ZRP Muzokomba, but failed to get reasons. Why am I being transferred
hardly a day after the first transfer?”
The two detectives said they were being forced to comply
with the order despite the fact that there are no transport arrangements made.
Det Sgt Moyo said her case was special in that she was
solely taking care of her minor children since her husband, Proud Moyo, is
serving 18 years at Khami Prison for murder.
“I wrote a letter to the respondents explaining my
predicament but the respondents ignored it. I am the sole guardian of my minor
children and I have already enrolled them at local schools, but the respondents
simply ignored me,” she said.
Det Sgt Moyo said she has an obligation to supply
medication to her husband hence the need to be closer to him.
She said she was being “fixed” by her superiors for no
apparent reason.
“I will suffer a lot of prejudice if I am to go to ZRP
Muzokomba as it will involve a lot of costs including but not limited to buying
new uniforms for children who will be transferring with me as well as
travelling costs of visiting my ailing husband at Khami Prisons,” said Det Sgt
Moyo.
Det Const Gambiza was transferred from Nkulumane Police
Station to Muzarabani on November 6.
She said two days later she received another radio signal
transferring her from Magwegwe to CID Nkulumane before she got another transfer
to Muzarabani last week.
In her founding affidavit, Det Const Gambiza said she was
being transferred for allegedly exposing some top officers dealing in drugs.
“My transfer lacks justification at all as I had not
committed any offence warranting unnecessary transfers.
“However, it is apparent that the latest transfer is a way
of fixing me after having exposed some top officers dealing in drugs. The
information was never investigated but it seems the arbitrary transfers emanate
from that,” she said.
“I am a single mother with minor children and have no one
to take care of them if I go to ZRP Muzarabani. My first and last transfers are
clearly an act of fraud and it is clear that the respondents want me to suffer
as a result of their confusion.” Chronicle
0 comments:
Post a Comment