Four members of the Zimbabwe Republic Police stationed at the Zimbabwe-Mozambique border were hauled before the courts on Wednesday for criminal abuse of public office after they allegedly failed to account for 23 bales of second-hand clothing they had confiscated from border jumpers.
The four are Tafirenyika Kawisa (33), Globani Mbele (37), Sylivanos Machuwaire (33) and Last Muchinguri (age not given).
It is the State’s case that on July 21 at Map-Off crossing point in Vumba, the officers arrested Judson Mapaike who was illegally crossing into Zimbabwe from Mozambique with 55 bales of second-hand clothes.
After the arrest, the cops loaded 36 bales into a commuter omnibus and left 19 others unattended at the scene though they indicated they would collect them later.
They drove to Mutare Central Police Station escorting the consignment, but upon arrival they allegedly booked 32 bales only into the police exhibit book instead of the whole contraband.
The cops later allegedly ordered Mapaike to pay them $2 000 to secure his freedom. They were arrested on August 12 after they failed to account for the outstanding 23 bales.
However, the cops denied the charge when they appeared before Mutare magistrate Noah Gwatidzo on Wednesday.
They were remanded to August 30 on $50 bail each.
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