The Zacc investigating officer, one Chief Inspector Murira,
landed himself in trouble after he discovered that Mutangadura had allegedly
smuggled a handwritten report from a private handwriting expert, LT Nhari, and
ordered the prosecution of Bulawayo businessman Lovemore Kutamahufa for forging
his business partner, Lungisani Ncube’s signature in an application for a bank
loan with FBC Bank.
Kutamahufa reported Mutangadura for corruptly aiding Ncube
to have a forensic examination of the alleged forged papers by Nhari after
bypassing a government handwriting expert, Clara Beatrice Tendai Gombakomba, in
a case the businessman is facing in court.
Mutangadura had allegedly lied that Gombakomba had no
capacity to examine the samples, an assertion she refuted in her statement to
Zacc investigators.
Murira, who was the investigating officer, was transferred
after he reportedly discovered that Mutangadura had a case to answer during his
recording of a statement from the complainant, Kutamahufa, in June last year.
Insiders say Murira had obtained a search and seizure
warrant from the courts, which was served to the FBC Bank requesting the
financial institution to furnish the investigation team with documents
pertaining to the loan application by Kutamahufa and Ncube.
The photocopied documents included the disputed forensic
report by the private analyst, running diaries, and a letter written by
Mutangadura.
A statement from the investigating officer stationed at
Commercial Crimes division in Bulawayo, who investigated Kutamahufa, was also
recorded.
Reports also suggest Gombakomba had contacted the police
and indicated that she needed further samples in order for her to do a
conclusive analysis. Martha Cheda, former provincial public prosecutor for
Bulawayo province, was also contacted.
She indicated that she never sought legal opinion from
Mutangadura.
Cheda said she was surprised that Mutangadura wrote a
letter directing prosecution to consider a report obtained from a private
forensic analyst, and at the same time indicating that the government forensic
laboratory was incapacitated to do the forensic examination when, in actual
fact, Gombakomba had requested for more legible handwriting samples for
conclusive analysis.
It also emerged that Ncube reportedly used his money to pay
for the services of the private handwriting expert.
However, sources close to the matter said after gathering
the evidence, Murira prepared a Remand Form (Form 242), which was vetted by the
legal department intending to take Mutangadura to court and place him on
initial remand.
Thereafter, he reportedly received an instruction to do a
full docket. This resulted in Murira being transferred before completing the
docket on Mutangadura.
He was reportedly posted to Hwange in Matabeleland North
province, with the matter being assigned to another investigation officer.
“I also gathered that he might be moved to Sacu [Special
Anti-Corruption Unit]. However, I am not sure whether he left Hwange now, but
national police spokesperson (Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi) could give
you more details,” the source said.
Nyathi confirmed the transfer of Murira, but said it was
purely an administrative issue in order to deploy experienced officers in areas
where they were needed most. Matangadura was a month ago summoned by Zacc
investigators with the view of detaining and taking him to court after his
docket was completed, but Zacc chairperson Loice Matanda-Moyo allegedly
intervened and stopped the proceedings.
However, Matanda-Moyo has denied the allegations. Newsday
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