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THE case in which two detectives allegedly extorted R80 000 from two gold dealers was on Tuesday postponed to Monday because the defence lawyer did not attend court. Mr David Mhiribidi, of D W Mhiribidi and Partners is representing Detective Sergeants Moses Taruva and Godfrey Moyo.
He did not attend court on Tuesday because he was reportedly ill.
A partner from the same law firm, Ms Priviledge Mvundla, appeared on his behalf but Western Commonage magistrate Ms Tancy Dube postponed the matter to Monday, saying Mr Mhiribidi should be in court.
The State would invite Constable Paul Nyamukanyiwa, whom Det Sgts Taruva and Moyo allegedly picked up from Luveve Police Station so that he could accompany them to arrest the complainants.
Another Constable Anthony Chinzvire from Western Commonage Police Station, helped the two detectives uncuff Mr Jabulani Gwizi and Mr Aleck Zikhali, the complainants.
An Assistant Inspector, M Sibanda from Bulawayo Central Police Station is also expected to testify how the two detectives went to arrest Mr Gwizi and Mr Zikhali when they were off duty and from two different postings in the police force.
Det Sgt Taruva of Flat D5 Ross Camp was assigned to Criminal Investigations Department (CID) Residential while Det Sgt Moyo of Sibet Court at the corner of Jason Moyo Street and 14th Avenue was attached to CID Theft at Bulawayo Central Police Station.
Det Sgt Taruva (36) and Det Sgt Moyo (38) have pleaded not guilty to extorting the money from Messrs Gwizi and Zikhali.
Messrs Gwizi and Zikhali testified in court last week and expressed concern that the contents of their statements in the docket were different from what was recorded when they first reported the matter.
They revealed this during cross-examination by Mr Mhiribidi, who had told them that his clients had no gun during the raid and arrest.
It is alleged that the two detectives extorted money from Mr Gwizi and Mr Zikhali after threatening to arrest them for smuggling gold to South Africa.
The two detectives allegedly told their victims that they were lucky to be alive as they had been sent to arrest and kill them by the South African Police Service.
The court was told that on 1 September, Det Sgts Taruva and Moyo who were off duty hatched a plan to extort money from the complainants and drove to Luveve Police Station in a vehicle driven by Moyo.
They were allegedly armed with a service pistol and phoned Const Nyamukanyiwa who was on duty at Luveve Police Station.
It is alleged that the two misrepresented to him that they wanted to arrest Mr Gwizi for a series of unlawful entry cases and they wanted a police officer in uniform to escort them.
When they got to House Number 1016 Emakhandeni, they handcuffed Messrs Gwizi and Zikhali who they allegedly started assaulting before shoving them into their car.
The court was told that they drove to Luveve Police Station where they dropped Const Nyamukanyiwa after allegedly telling him that they were taking the two complainants to Bulawayo Central Police Station.
It is alleged that the two detectives demanded a bribe of R100 000 and fearing for their lives Messrs Gwizi and Zikhali told them that they had some money in Mpopoma which was being kept by Mr Gwizi’s grandmother.
They allegedly drove to a house in Mpopoma where the two detectives took away R80 000 and left the complainants with R20 000.
The court was told that the detectives took the two complainants to Western Commonage Police Station where they were helped by Const Chinzvire to uncuff them.
Det Sgts Taruva and Moyo allegedly dumped Messrs Gwizi and Zikhali at Nguboyenja Fly Over after warning them not to tell anyone about what had happened.
The two complainants reported the matter to the police on 2 September leading to the arrest of the two detectives.
The money and cash box were not recovered.
Mr Tony Kamudyariwa is representing the State.
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