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Top cop trial begins

News
THE trial of suspended Mbare Police Station traffic officer-in-charge, Violet Sigauke, accused of soliciting for a $60 bribe from a commuter omnibus operator, began at the Harare magistrates’ court yesterday.

THE trial of suspended Mbare Police Station traffic officer-in-charge, Violet Sigauke, accused of soliciting for a $60 bribe from a commuter omnibus operator, began at the Harare magistrates’ court yesterday.

BY DESMOND CHINGARANDE

Sigauke, who is represented by Admire Rubaya, pleaded not guilty to the charge when she appeared before magistrate Lazini Ncube.

In her defence, Sigauke told the court that the alleged trap was set in a manner which did not respect her gender as the arresting officers indecently assaulted her by fondling her breasts and buttocks.

Sigauke further denies ever receiving the money meant for the alleged bribe or having sought to swallow the alleged $60. She told the court that the arresting officers, one assistant inspector Mabwe and his team, sought to forcibly place the money into her breasts but she struggled with them for close to 45 minutes.

She also told the court that she was a victim of a well-orchestrated conspiracy to remove her from ZRP Mbare Traffic for effectively executing her duties since she had no sacred commuter omnibus or traffic offenders.

The first State witness, Reuben Chimwanja, who reported the matter at the Police General Headquarters, told the court that he was hurt by the behaviour of traffic police soliciting for bribes despite their vehicles possessing all required documents.

Chimwanja told the court that it was a routine practice to pay “chibag” (bribe money) at Mbare Police Station’s traffic section to gain free passage for a week.

Another witness, Wilson Siwela, told the court that after he handed over the bribe money to Sigauke, his manager phoned her to confirm if she had received the payment.

Siwela further told the court that he met three police officers at the door while coming out of Sigauke’s office, who then held him by the belt ordering him to show them where the suspect had put the money.

He told court that it was at that stage that Sigauke took out her belt trying to assault him, but she was stopped by the three officers. He said Sigauke then reached for her desk drawer and took out the money before trying to swallow it, but the alert officers pulled out the money from her mouth resulting in her biting Assistant Inspector Mabwe’s thumb.

Magistrate Ncube postponed the matter to March 24 for continuation of trial.

It is the State’s case that on February 8 this year and at Mbare Police Station, Sigauke, who is the officer-in-charge Mbare Traffic, unlawfully and intentionally solicited for and received a $60 bribe from Kudzai Mapako of Mama Ru Commuter Omnibuses to facilitate free movement along the route in her area of policing jurisdiction, thereby abusing her duty as a public officer.

Francisca Mukumbiri appeared for the State.