Yeukai Karengezeka
Court Correspondent
Two men, including a police officer, appeared in court on Tuesday facing charges of abuse of office as a public officer and impersonation of a police officer, respectively.
Elisha Magwaza (38) and Collen Muzuva (33) appeared before Harare magistrate Ruth Moyo.
The complainant in the case is the State, represented by Terence Chinyamunjiko, a police officer stationed at the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) General Headquarters’ Internal Investigations Department.
Magwaza is a police constable stationed at ZRP Mbare while Muzuva is unemployed. On July 28, around 11:30 am, Chinyamunjiko and a team of officers from ZRP PGHQ Internal Investigations, including Chief Inspector Gunhe, Chief Inspector Mupangai, Assistant Inspector Mutemaringa, and Assistant Inspector Demba, were conducting surveillance along the Harare-Bulawayo Road.
At Thuli Service Station, the team noticed four men and three women waiting for transport. They observed a Toyota Hilux with registration number AFN 5372, branded Econet on its door panels, stopping to pick up passengers.
A female passenger boarded the car and sat on the front seat while two of the men also jumped into the vehicle.
The vehicle drove off and later dropped off the female passenger. The officers, suspecting foul play, pursued the vehicle but failed to catch up with it.
The team’s suspicion grew when the remaining two men, including Constable Magwaza, appeared busy on their cellphones, seemingly coordinating with their counterparts.
Moments later, the same Toyota Hilux reappeared from Bishop Gaul Avenue and turned into Bulawayo Road, dropping off Magwaza and Muzuva.
The officers intercepted the Toyota Hilux at Marimba Shopping Centre and interviewed the driver, Amos Siyani, who revealed that the two accused persons had extorted US$150 from him after accusing him of committing a traffic offence.
Siyani explained that the accused initially demanded US$230 but later settled for US$150, which he had withdrawn from his Ecocash account.
The informant and the surveillance team returned to Thuli Service Station and found the suspects at their alleged “hunting ground”.
The officers parked their vehicle, approached the suspects and managed to apprehend Magwaza and Muzuva.