Two top Marondera detectives allegedly intercepted more than 100 stolen tobacco bales and connived with the armed robbers to sell the loot before sharing the proceeds.
Tapera Bvunzawabaya (36) and Phenias Bizabani (36) from CID
Law and Order appeared before Marondera magistrate Rumbidzai Munemo facing
criminal abuse of office charges and were ordered to apply for bail at the High
Court.
They will return to court on September 10 for trial. According
to court papers, on July 22, Albert Mhari, Kezias Chonde, Morestaff Kapeta,
Darlington Mhari and their accomplices who are still at large, went to
Karimazondo Farm in Marondera where they ambushed the security guard,
Christopher Mukobvu.
One of the suspects produced a pistol and threatened to
shoot the security guard before tying his hands and legs with shoe laces.
The robbers then proceeded to a parked truck in the farm
yard, assaulted the truck driver Shepherd Dabvu with fists and stabbed him several
times on his buttocks before throwing him out of the vehicle.
They allegedly took the truck and its trailer laden with
130 bales of tobacco and drove to Cotter Farm along Longlands in Marondera
owned by Talent Kaseke where they offloaded the bales.
They dumped the truck near the farm. A police report was
made at Marondera Central where Bizabani and Bvunzawabaya are stationed as
detectives.
The accused made their investigations and found the tobacco
bales at Cotter Farm where they were being repackaged to conceal their initial
identification. The two suspects allegedly demanded bribes from Mhari and his
accomplices to avoid being arrested.
The, robbers, however had no money with them resulting in
the detectives joining them in disposing the stolen tobacco bales. Bizabani
allegedly called one Shingirayi Mutsinziri to transport the stolen tobacco
bales to Harare for sale.
The detectives also approached Talent Kaseke’s wife and got
permission to use her grower’s number to sell the tobacco.
Bizabani and Bvunzawabaya then used their power as police
officers to escort the trucks in their black Mercedes Benz to Harare during
Covid-19 curfew hours.
They facilitated safe passage for the two trucks at police checkpoints to
Harare where the tobacco was sold before sharing the proceeds.
The matter came to light after the arrest of Kapeta
following a parallel investigation that included officials from the Zimbabwe
Anti-Corruption Commission and he implicated the detectives.
Detectives recovered torn bale tags and sacks printed with
the complainant’s growers’ number. Upon being quizzed, the farmer admitted that
the detectives were at the repackaging site on the day.
The total value of the stolen tobacco was pegged at US$58
000 and nothing was recovered. Kapeta and his team are also in remand over
armed robbery charges. Standard
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