A POLICE officer stationed at the Parliament of Zimbabwe was yesterday jailed for 10 years by a Harare magistrate after he was convicted of robbing a city taxi driver of $9 and a cellphone.
BY DESMOND CHINGARANDE
Peter Kache (26) will, however, serve an effective seven years’ imprisonment after regional magistrate Bianca Makwande suspended three years on condition of good behaviour.
In passing the sentence Makwande said Kache failed to carry out his duty of protecting the public, but used a firearm he was entrusted with to rob the public.
The complainant in the matter was Tawanda Mahachi, a driver with City Centre Taxis.
Allegations were that on December 6 at around midnight, Kache, while armed with a pistol and dressed in police uniform, approached Mahachi, who had parked his Mazda Demio at a city hotel.
Kache lied to Mahachi that he wanted to ferry his ill wife from Epworth to Parirenyatwa Hospital and they agreed on a $20 fee.
The complainant drove to Epworth and Kache did not immediately pay the fare.
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Upon reaching Solani shopping centre in Epworth, Kache asked Mahachi to turn into Garanganga Road and park at a certain house.
Kache disembarked from the vehicle and asked to use Mahachi’s phone so that he could phone and advise his wife that he had arrived.
Mahachi opted to escort him to carry his wife and he locked his vehicle doors.
Kache then produced a pistol, cocked it and pointed it at Mahachi, while ordering him to surrender his valuables.
Mahachi complied and surrendered his Samsung 5560 phone and $9 before Kache ordered him to go.
The complainant proceeded to Epworth Police Station and made a report.
Mahachi was assigned police officers to go and attend the scene. They proceeded to Overspill shopping centre and checked for Kache in nightclubs that were still open.
Mahachi spotted Kache at a club and alerted police officers.
On seeing Mahachi with police officers, Kache drew his loaded service pistol from his waist.
Police officers wrestled Kache and during the scuffle, he discharged one shot from the firearm.
Kache was eventually subdued and police recovered Mahachi’s phone and $8 from his pockets. The total value of the stolen items was $45 and $44 was recovered.
Ressy Nyamombe appeared for the State.
