adminMathew Masinge
A KAROI magistrate will spend the next two years behind bars after he was jailed for two years for corruption.
Felix Chauromwe was convicted of corruptly removing three suspects from remand.
The three suspects — Alois Togarepi, Obvious Vheremu and Mussa Anesi — were each facing a charge of criminal abuse of office.
Chauromwe ordered the release of the trio despite the State indicating that they were not yet served with their papers.
The State claimed the trio had, through their lawyer, applied for refusal of further remand and intended to do so on their next remand date. But, the magistrate chose to release on the very day.
Chauromwe went on to entertain the application, granting it in contravention of a Proactive Direction 6 of 2021, issued by Chief Justice Luke Malaba.
The practice direction came into effect during the Level Four National Lockdown and was designed to govern the court’s operations, filing of pleadings and processes and handling of cases.
Chauromwe was initially sentenced to three years before the trial magistrate at Chinhoyi Court suspended one year on condition that he does not commit a similar offence in the next five years.
He was convicted on a criminal abuse of office charge as defined in Section 174(1)(a) of the Criminal Law Act, Chapter 9:23.
Online Reporter