adminPart of the bribe money wassupposed to be paid to the two accused police officers through a Barclays Bank account and Eco-cash, a cash transaction system recently introduced by giant cellphone company, Econet.
Problems for the two suspects, Jefrey Ngiza (29) and Nqobile Mangena (29), who are both members of the Criminal Investigation Department in Gokwe, started when they arrested one Rednet Mugonero for allegedly stealing 80 bales of cotton from a Gokwe-based cotton company.
They were arraigned before Gweru provincial magistrate, Mrs Phathekile Msipa, to answer to charges of abuse of office as public officers.
On Friday last week, Ngiza and Mangena were both remanded out of custody to tomorrow on $25 bail each.
Appearing for the State, Mr Andrew Marimo said on 30 August 2010, Ngiza and Mangena arrested Mugonero for allegedly stealing 80 bales of cotton from a Gokwe-based cotton company.
Mr Marimo said Mugonero was supposed to be jointly charged with his four other co-accused, Blessing Shelton Gunha, Cliffert Mangena, Jacob Nheta and Chris Mlambo as indicated by two dockets opened by the police in Nembudziya, Gokwe North.
The two dockets were registered under Crime Registration Number 25/08/2010 and RZP Gokwe Crime 100/8/2010.
Mr Marimo told the court that after arresting Mugonero, they demanded $3 000 from him.
He said the two officers told Mugonero that they would only release him and also stop arresting his co-accused once the money was paid.
The court heard that Mugonero’s four co-accused in the theft of cotton bales were on the run at that time.
Mr Marimo said Mugonero indicated to the two accused that he could not raise such kind of money while in custody.
He said the two officers hunted and located Gunha, Mangena and Nheta.
They allegedly indicated that they wanted $3 000 so that they would release Mugonero and drop their case.
Mr Marimo told the court that Gunha, Cliffert Mangena and Nheta refused to pay the bribe and the two accused police officers assaulted Gunha with a baton, resulting in him soiling his pants.
He said Gunha then offered to sell his car to raise the $3 000 bribe money.
Gunha sold his car and raised $1 500 and gave the money to the two officers in the presence of his colleagues, Nheta and Mangena.
Mr Marimo said Mugonero was later released.
He said Ngiza and Mangena approached Mugonero and ordered him to pay the balance of $1 500.
The money was supposed to be paid in either Mangena’s Barclays account number 2520-5014 594 or paid to Ngiza through Eco-cash mobile number 0772 626 568.
Mr Marimo said Mugonero deposited $50 into Ngiza’s Eco-cash account using a phone belonging to one Mr Philip Chambata, a friend.
Mr Chambata’s mobile number used in the transaction is 0772 679 553.
He said a further $200 was deposited into the same Eco-cash account (Ngiza’s) using a Mr Christopher Kamombe’s mobile phone, 0772 221 233 in February this year.
Mugonero advised Ngiza that he had deposited $250 into his Eco-cash account 0772 626 568 and that he was yet to deposit any money into Mangena’s Barclays account.
Mr Marimo said the State might produce Eco-cash history document as proof of the money deposited.
It would also produce confirming documents proving that Mangena was the owner of the Barclays bank account.
Online Reporter