BY RICHARD MUPONDE
THREE police officers based in Chipinge have appeared in court for allegedly robbing a villager of property worth $350 at gunpoint in a botched macadamia nuts deal.
Alex Shati (32), Innocent Masimba (27) and Cedrick Godknows Singo (26), all stationed at Chipinge Police Station were not formally charged when they appeared before magistrate Farai Gwitima. They were all remanded in custody to May 24.
Prosecutor Shamiso Ncube told the court that on April 6, Shati and the complainant Richard Ngadziore entered into a deal to buy and sell macadamia nuts.
They met in Chipinge town where Ngadziore allegedly handed over RTGS $350 and ZAR800 in order to buy and supply 600kg of the nuts.
On Independence Day, Ngadziore informed Shati, through a phone text message, that the nuts he had bought were stolen in the bush.
Shati demanded his money back, but the complainant advised him that he did not have it.
On May 4, Shati allegedly teamed up with Masimba and Singo and drove to Ngadziore’s rural home where they found him asleep.
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He allegedly ordered him to sign papers which gave him authority to confiscate Ngadziore’s household property in lieu of the money. The cops allegedly forced the victim’s mother, Maria Maguuya to sign as a witness.
They also allegedly kidnapped him and later dumped him at Junction Gate Township.
On May 9, the trio was arrested by detectives from Chipinge Criminal Investigations Department and Shati voluntarily led them to the recovery of Ngadziore’s property at his house.
