Four police officers, including a woman attached to the crime prevention unit, who allegedly assaulted and robbed a motorist of US$70 a few metres from a roadblock, have appeared before Bindura Magistrate’s Court along with a civilian accomplice who pretended to be a police inspector.
The five also allegedly assaulted other police officers
while they were resisting arrest. The officers are Manager William (30), Brian
Mzilikazi (33), Natasha Mupingo (32) and Tafuma Ruvuke (32) while their
accomplice is Bigboy Mjenda (32). The five waylaid, assaulted and robbed at
least one motorist along Mazowe-Centenary Road.
The four police officers are from Harare, while Mjenda is
from Ruwa. They appeared before Bindura provincial magistrate Mr Tinashe
Ndokera facing robbery and assault charges and were remanded on bail to
November 17 for trial.
Prosecutor Ms Sheilla Maribha said on September 16 at
around 3pm, the five were travelling toward Mazowe along the Mazowe-Centenary
Road in an unregistered Chevrolet Captiva when they stopped at a roadblock just
before Mazowe.
Mjenda, who was driving, produced a fake police identity
card and introduced himself as Inspector Mjenda from police general
headquarters internal investigations.
He told Sergeant Major Shadreck Bako, who was in charge of
the roadblock, that the team was conducting spot checks.
The five allegedly chased the vehicle, blocked it from proceeding, then disembarked and switched off Mr Murasikwa’s engine.
They started punching him in the face and handcuffed him. They
then bundled him into their vehicle and started assaulting him while demanding
US$70. Mr Murasikwa allegedly gave the
money to Mjenda.
The five drove to the roadblock, ordered the complainant to
disembark and drove off towards Mazowe. Sgt Major Bako immediately alerted
Mazowe Traffic who arrested the five and impounded their vehicle.
They were searched and found in possession of US$152. The
court heard that Mjenda offered police officers a US$60 bribe and the money was
recovered as an exhibit.
The five were allegedly visibly drunk and were taken to
Mazowe police station where at around 4pm they started insulting police
officers.
They violently resisted arrest and assaulted two officers,
Thandolwenkosi Dube and Taurayi Kadzingwindi. Herald
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