COP TRIES TO BRIBE MAGISTRATE

A POLICE officer based in Ruwa has appeared before Harare magistrate Dennis Mangosi facing criminal abuse of office charges after he allegedly received money meant to influence the magistrate to deny bail to a Harare man who had been accused of theft of trust property.

The accused, James Mugumbati, was on Friday remanded out of custody on $10 000 bail to August 26.

It is the State’s case that in March last year, Mugumbati, who is attached to the Suburban Police Intelligence Crack team, met Kelvin Mutasa, who had been conned of US$20 000 which he intended to pay for a commercial stand at Juru Growth Point.

Mutasa intended to pay US$20 000, which was the price for a commercial stand he intended to purchase at Juru Growth Point from Govern Taurayi Chitanda, based in the United Kingdom.

The State further alleges that to enable Chitanda to receive his money while in the UK, he asked Linnet Magwenzi, a Zimbabwean based in UK, who had free funds which she could give to

him.

In turn, an equivalent amount in US dollars was to be given to her relative in Zimbabwe. However, the transaction in question flopped after the amount was given to Dimos Magwenzi, a relative to Linnet by Mutasa in Zimbabwe.

The transaction between Chitanda and Magwenzi flopped in the UK, and the former felt short-changed. He then engaged Mugumbati in a bid to recover his money.

Mugumbati allegedly then facilitated the reporting of a theft of trust property case against Magwenzi, the recipient of the said funds in Zimbabwe at ZRP Marlborough, under ZRP Marlborough CR261/03/21.

The case is being investigated by a Sergeant Maseva. It was during the investigation of the case that Mugumbati, a public officer, unlawfully acted contrary to, or inconsistent with his duties by coercing Chitanda and receiving a total of US$770 from him.

Part of the money was allegedly for logistics and the other for the prosecutor and magistrate to influence them to remand Magwenzi in custody.

Mugumbati allegedly received US$400 from Mutasa and the other US$370 through World Remit Services, which he signed for.

Thereafter, and on several occasions, the accused promised to serve Mutasa with a subpoenas for him to attend court, but nothing materialised.

Chitanda then reported the matter to the police, leading to Mugumbati’s arrest. Newsday

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