The warrant of arrest for the officer-in-charge of Inyathi Police Station in Matabeleland North, Chief Inspector Muhlaba Sibanda, who is facing charges of abuse of office and was believed to have absconded, was cancelled on Tuesday after he resurfaced in court.
Sibanda (49) allegedly caused the arrest of a villager with whom he had a gold deal that turned sour. He denied the charges during his initial court appearance before Nkayi magistrate Thabekhulu Dube on January 10.
Last month, Dube transferred the case to Bulawayo Tredgold Courts where Sibanda, who was out of custody on free bail, was supposed to appear before magistrate Shepherd Mujanja on July 4.
The magistrate issued a warrant for his arrest after he did not turn up in court on the day.
On Monday NewsDay published a story that Sibanda was on the run after he absconded the court session. On Tuesday he resurfaced at the courts and appeared before Mujanja.
“I thought that the record was still at Nkayi and I went to Nkayi thinking the case would be proceeding there,” Sibanda told the court when asked why he had not turned up.
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Mujanja then cancelled the warrant of arrest against him and remanded the case to August 22 for continuation of trial.