THREE police officers and a Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) agent allegedly threatened to facilitate the deportation of former Population Services International Zimbabwe deputy director Acton Chimera before extorting $5 000 from him in September this year.
PHILLIP CHIDAVAENZI SENIOR REPORTER
The cops, Mathew Chinovava, Hoseah Marova, Willard Chireya, and CIO agent Ronnie Chimombe, were yesterday remanded in custody when they appeared before Harare magistrate Milton Serima.
The quartet is expected in court today when the magistrate is expected to make a ruling on their bail application.
The application was filed yesterday by their lawyer David Ngwerume.
Although prosecutor Sharon Mashavira opposed the bail application, arguing that they were a flight risk, Ngwerume argued that the State’s fears were merely speculative.
He said the suspects were less likely to flee because they were family men with vested interests in the country.
Ngwerume also argued that the charge his clients were facing was not grave to cause them to consider skipping the country.
- Chamisa under fire over US$120K donation
- Mavhunga puts DeMbare into Chibuku quarterfinals
- Pension funds bet on Cabora Bassa oilfields
- Councils defy govt fire tender directive
Keep Reading
Allegations against the four are that on September 2, they went to PSI offices on the pretext that they were investigating drug smuggling and illegal abortions.
They allegedly took PSZ employees Succeed Zvevanjanja, Tapiwa Chisango, Chimera and Marshal Mashavave to Harare Central Police Station.
They allegedly threatened to torture, detain and deport Chimera unless they were given cash.
It is the State’s case that the PSI employees were released on condition that they would bring the money the following morning.
On September 3, Marshal Mashavave, finance director of PSZ, went to the police station with $5 000 after he had received several threatening phone calls.
Mashavave allegedly conveyed the money to the police officers using a taxi driver so that he could have a witness if anything happened to him.
The PSI employees later filed an extortion charge against the four.
