A 54 –YEAR–OLD police detective stationed at CID studios in Harare as a photographer was on Wednesday convicted of theft of trust property after failing to deliver 33kg of dagga which were part of a consignment to be used as an exhibit.
REPORT BY SENIOR REPORTER
The dagga was valued at $3 300.
Detective Constable Shadreck Chingoma Mutota stashed the dagga in his locker in a cabinet and covered it with his dust coat.
The court heard during trial that on May 15 this year, the exhibit officer released Exhibit Number 33/13 comprising 21 bags of mbanje stashed in 90kg sacks, one 50kg sack and three carrier bags from the exhibit room in transit to court.
He then ordered general hand workers at Harare Central Police Station to assist CID Drugs detectives to carry the sacks to a police vehicle that was parked in the yard that would take the exhibit to Harare Magistrates’ Courts.
Mutota, who was not asked to be part of the crew, volunteered to assist and carried two sacks on different occasions. Although he delivered one of the sacks to the vehicle, he hid the other sack.
When it was discovered that one sack was missing, investigations were carried out. Two detectives proceeded to CID studios where a search was conducted in Mutota’s office and a sack was recovered in a built-in cupboard covered with his dust coat.
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The dust coat was inscribed his name. Detective Sergeant Chinhamu, who had seen Mutota with the sack, confirmed that Mutota brought the sack into his office and told them he had been given the sack by Chief Superintendent Mukazhi of CID Drugs.
He was arrested when he returned to the office and apologised for his actions. The court heard that he called Chief Supt Mukazhi and apologised for abusing his name.
