Two Lupane men who attempted to bribe a public prosecutor to destroy a docket accusing one of them of impregnating an underage girl were convicted for attempted bribery on Thursday.
The pair, Henry and Nthokozo Moyo (both 34), allegedly attempted to bribe Sanders Sibanda to avoid prosecution.
On Thursday, Lupane magistrate Takudzwa Gwazemba remanded them to July 11 for sentence.
At the close of the State case, Tawanda Sigauke of the Attorney-General’s Office implored the court to consider imposing a custodial sentence on the pair, saying the crime they committed could have landed the senior prosecutor in jail if he had fallen for the trap.
Gwazemba said he would consider the State’s submissions before passing sentence.
The two tried to bribe Sibanda on March 24 this year. They asked him to destroy the docket charging Nthokozo with impregnating his neighbour’s 16-year-old daughter.
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According to court documents, the girl’s mother reported the matter to Jotsholo Police Station after Nthokozo had declined to have an out-of-court settlement.
On March 24, Nthokozo met Henry at Silomusa Bottle Store in Jotsholo after he heard the case had been reported to police.
They hatched a plan to approach Sibanda to bribe him so that he could destroy the docket before it was taken to the courts for prosecution.
On March 28, the two travelled to Lupane and on arrival, Henry phoned Sibanda asking him to meet them at Lupane business centre for lunch. Sibanda declined the offer.
Henry phoned Sibanda again requesting to meet him at Country Side Bar in Lupane after working hours at 5pm for a discussion. Sibanda went to the venue where he met the two.
Henry briefed Sibanda about Nthokozo’s case and told him they had been referred to him by a policeman based at Jotsholo Police Station to offer “something” to conceal the matter.
Realising the two were determined to bribe him, Sibanda reported the matter to the police, leading to the pair’s arrest.