dyton mupawaendaZvikomborero Parafini
SUSPENDED CID boss, Chrispen Charumbira, who was facing obstruction of justice charges, was acquitted yesterday.
He was found not guilty after a full trial by regional magistrate Ngoni Nduna.
In his findings, magistrate Nduna said the witnesses who testified against Charumbira were police officers and his subordinates.
He said they showed bitterness at him as they believed he was responsible for their transfers from the CID back to being regular cops.
He described one of them, named Manyandure, as the architect of the allegations.
“He manufactured the Harare incident and the Mutare incident to show his hatred towards the accused.
“There was no proper voice identification of the voice of the caller and we can’t say with certainty that it was the accused who was calling,” he added.
The State had claimed that sometime in 2019, Constable Mashange, Constable Chada and Constable Mahere arrested one David Macheche in Mutare for dealing in or being in possession of gold without a licence.
The trio escorted the alleged suspect to Mutare Central Police Station where they briefed Detective Inspector Felix Machaka, who was the officer-in-charge.
One David Crosby was said to have entered the office, where the trio was briefing the officer-in-charge, and handed over a phone alleging that Charumbira wanted to talk to him.
It was said Charumbira instructed one Inspector Machaka to release the suspect without confirmation of existence of a licence or recording the exhibit and without pressing any charges.
He allegedly ordered them to return the recovered gold to the suspect.
Insp Machaka allegedly complied with Charumbira’s instruction.
Ephraim Zinyandu prosecuted.
Online Reporter