Online Reporter
Ray Bande
Senior Reporter
TWO police officers who assaulted a Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) officer, following their arrest for receiving bribes at a roadblock, were on Monday fined US$500 when they appeared before provincial magistrate Mr Tendai Mahwe.
In default of payment, Sergeant Mduduzi Makina (39) and Constable Elliot Gava (42) will spend four months in jail.
In addition, Mr Mahwe sentenced them to four months’ imprisonment, suspended for five years.
According to the State case, led by prosecutor Mr Thurstone Mubvumbi, the two officers from Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) Sakubva Station were arrested by ZACC for allegedly receiving bribes from motorists.
Makina and Gava allegedly obstructed justice by manhandling and injuring a ZACC investigator, who had arrested them on bribery allegations.
The court heard that on 11 December 2024, at around 11am, a ZACC team responded to complaints of corrupt activities at the police roadblock and conducted surveillance.
During the surveillance, they witnessed police officers soliciting and receiving bribes from motorists.
The ZACC team arrested Constable Peace Muchenje for bribery and seized a roadblock declaration book as evidence.
The accused persons then confronted the ZACC officers, demanding the release of the declaration book.
They pulled investigation officer Mr Shingirai Mudede from the driver’s seat and removed the car keys from the ignition.
The court heard that Makina and Gava twisted Mudede’s arm to violently dispossess him of the declaration book and fled the scene.
