Two senior police officers, an assistant inspector and a detective sergeant, were on Thursday brought before the court for allegedly demanding $6 000 from a Gweru businessman.
The officers, Nyasha Gumbo (41) who is attached to Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Zvishavane was jointly charged with Godfrey Majari (40) of Harare’s Serious Fraud Unit.
The State alleges the two law enforcement agents, swindled Firoz Hassim the director of Food Enterprises from Gweru after allegedly threatening him with arrest and detention over allegations of smuggling.
This was after Hassim had initially approached Gumbo and sought assistance to recover his two vehicles which were allegedly stolen by two Malawian drivers whom he had hired to transport the cars from Beitbridge to Nyamapanda.
It is alleged Hassim requested Gumbo who in turn allegedly engaged the services of Majari to recover the vehicles from the drivers, Bernard Chibwe and Bennet Chifundo.
The State alleges the officers connived and turned against Hassim and accused him of smuggling the vehicles and demanded $6 000 in order to drop the charges.
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Hassim is said to have given them $3 500.
However, Majari is alleged to have returned and confronted Hassim alone, handcuffed him and indicated he was now in charge of the investigations.
He demanded and was given the balance of $2 500 before freeing Hassim.
Hassim is said to have proceeded to report the case to police internal investigations section, leading to the arrest of the police officers.
They were not asked to plead when they appeared before provincial magistrate Kudakwashe Jarabini who remanded them out of custody to August 1 for trial.
Rufaro Mazvimbakupa prosecuted.