A RUSAPE public prosecutor appeared at the Mutare Magistrate s’ court yesterday facing charges of abusing public office after allegedly soliciting for a bribe from a rape and robbery suspect to facilitate a favourable outcome.
BY KENNETH NYANGANI
James Abraham Wirima (41) was granted a $200 bail by Mutare magistrate Sekai Chiundura and was remanded to April 30.
The bail conditions are that the accused should report at the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) once a fortnight, not to interfere with State witnesses and to continue residing at the same address in Rusape. The State, represented by public prosecutor Malvern Musarurwa, had opposed bail arguing that they were waiting for evidence from the investigating officer detective Mavis Ganyata.
Ganyata opposed bail arguing the suspect had a previous conviction of a similar offence and that he was likely to interfere with the State witness, abscond or commit a similar offence.
Wirima was represented by a team of lawyers comprising Leonard Chigadza of Chigadza and Partners, Taurai Kupe of Kupe and Associates, Christopher Ndlovu, Victor Chinzamba and Passmore Nyakureba of Maunga Maanda and Associates. It is the State case that on January 30 this year the informant, Arnold Hatinahama, who was facing rape and robbery charges, arrived at Rusape Magistrates’ Court where he met the accused person.
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The accused then allegedly directed the informant to meet Lazarus Bonde who was acting as go-between Bonde, allegedly on behalf of Wirima, initially demanded $1 500, but they later settled for $500.
Various instalments were paid to the accused, but the shenanigans came to light on April 9 when the informant, through his younger brother detective Endless Tendere, discovered that the case was withdrawn before plea in 2013.
As usual, the informant called the accused to make another instalment in a trap and the accused was later arrested on Tuesday.