Duo charged for abuse of office

court charged with criminal abuse of office.
Beata Shumba (42) and Oliver Gwadu (32) who are both based at Rowen Martin building in the Treasury Department allegedly forced the complainant to fork out US$2 000 for them to grant him a lease to use a council stand as a car sales. In 2009 he applied to rent a stand situated between Carithus Avenue and Robert Mugabe in Eastlea, it is alleged.
Shumba and Gwadu at the time were responsible for evaluating and processing the applications for consideration by council, the court heard. Before the complainant got a response to his application, he allegedly discovered there were occupants that were already conducting business at the same area he had applied for.
He reportedly went to the council offices where he was assisted by the pair.
In the process, the pair allegedly ordered him to pay US$4 000 for them to quicken his application and they agreed on US$2 000 after lengthy negotiations.
On June 7, the complainant approached the police and lodged a report and a trap was set, the State alleges.
A raid was allegedly conducted after Shumba and Gwadu had accepted the money, which had the same serial numbers to the photocopied notes.
The US$2 000 bribe was recovered.