The late police inspector, Petros Mutedza, who was stoned to death in Glen View at the weekend was one of the witnesses lined up by the State to give evidence against Themba Mliswa who is facing a charge of extortion.
Mliswa appeared before Harare magistrate Donald Ndirowei yesterday for trial but another State witness, the investigation officer, who was also supposed to testify, failed to turn-up as he was reportedly attending Mutedza’s funeral.
However, the trial commenced and Mliswa tendered his defence outline through his lawyer Charles Chinyama.
He denied the extortion charge and told the court the complainant, Beryl Evelyn Saunders, and her parents owed him $4 661 which her mother Wollemiena Doratiena misappropriated while she was working for him in Karoi.
Although the State alleges Mliswa dropped the charges against Doratiena and her husband Theunis Lewis Botha in August 2009, he denied the assertions.
Mliswa further alleged Saunders begged him to accept $1 600 and also offered him a car so that he could withdraw charges against her parents.
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The State alleges Saunders learnt of her parents’ arrest and visited Borrowdale Police Station where she was told her parents could only be released on Mliswa’s instruction.
It is alleged Saunders met Mliswa who then demanded she pay him $2 000 for the release of her parents.