THE officer commanding CID Law and Order Division Detective Assistant Commissioner Chrispen Makedenge, has been redeployed to Masvingo under unclear circumstances.
BY EVERSON MUSHAVA
Makedenge yesterday confirmed his transfer to Masvingo, but referred further questions to police spokesperson, Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba.
“Yes, I have been transferred to Masvingo, but I am still in Harare. You can ask Senior Assistant Commissioner Charamba,” he said.
Charamba was unreachable for comment yesterday.
Makedenge was reportedly served with his transfer letter on Friday and will be replaced by Senior Assistant Commissioner Thulani Ncube from Bulawayo.
However, police sources privy to the development told NewsDay that Makedenge was accused of turning #ThisFlag leader, Evan Mawarire, war veterans’ spokesperson, Douglas Mahiya and secretary-general, Victor Matemadanda into instant heroes by failing to properly prepare their charges following their arrests. The top police officer was also accused of failing to smoke out authors of the infamous war veterans’ hard-hitting July 21 communique, calling for President Robert Mugabe to step down.
The arrests of both Mawarire and war veterans leaders cultivated unity among political leaders and citizens, with opposition Zimbabwe People First leader Joice Mujuru capitalising on the tension to close ranks with the former fighters, who had previously orchestrated her ouster from Zanu PF.
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“There is a general feeling that Makedenge messed up in the manner he handled the Mawarire case and that of Mahiya and Matemadanda over the war veterans communiqué, hence, his transfer to Masvingo,” a source said
Makedenge will now lead Masvingo’s CID Crime Division. He made headlines in 2014 when he reportedly went to the United States of America to seek information from Facebook when conducting extra-territorial investigations in a case in which former Sunday Mail editor, Edmund Kudzayi, who was believed to be the shadowy character, Baba Jukwa, faced charges of attempting to subvert a constitutionally elected government through “waging cyber war.”
Last month, police transferred more than 600 officers from Beitbridge under yet unclear circumstances. Source said the police officers were being punished for allegedly mishandling the Beitbridge protests that culminated in the burning of a Zimbabwe Revenue Authority warehouse as traders protested a goods import ban.
