Judas cop remanded! . .He attempted suicide after details of his betrayal became public

A ROGUE cop who allegedly handed a vulnerable rape victim to her killer in a twisted bid to cover up a crime has been further remanded in custody, alongside his alleged accomplice, after appearing in court facing cold-blooded murder charges.

Thembani Mukanyani (39), a Zimbabwe Republic Police officer stationed in Plumtree, and Cabangani “Mike” Mathe (35) were both dragged before Plumtree Magistrate Mrs Ailene Munamati on 28 May 2025. The court ordered the pair to remain behind bars until 11 June 2025.

According to court papers, on 22 March 2025, Mukanyani escorted Benitta Tshuma (20), a rape complainant, to the Plumtree Police Station, where she was temporarily housed at the Victim Friendly Unit (VFU) safe house after lodging a rape case against Mathe, who at that time had not yet been arrested.

The night quickly took a horrifying turn.
At around 8pm, in a shocking breach of duty, Mukanyani handed over Tshuma to Mathe, releasing her without any official clearance, despite her being a key witness in a rape case.

A full-blown nightmare followed.
Mathe is alleged to have taken Tshuma from Plumtree, driving all night to Maitengwe, Madlambuzi, and illegally crossing into Botswana through an undesignated entry point. Once across the border, he allegedly brutally assaulted Tshuma, bashing her head with an unknown object until she died. Her decomposing body was discovered on 27 March 2025 in the bush, dumped like garbage.

Investigations revealed eight phone calls between Mukanyani and Mathe between 5pm and 8pm on the day Tshuma vanished. Witnesses confirmed seeing Mukanyani personally handing over the young woman to her alleged rapist that night.

After Tshuma’s body was found, Mukanyani reportedly attempted suicide by consuming poison, a desperate bid to escape justice, say investigators.

His bail application was thrown out, with the court citing risks of evidence tampering, suicide, and potential public outrage should he walk free.

“This case has shaken the community. The betrayal by a trusted police officer and the gruesome death of a young woman seeking protection has left Plumtree angry and afraid,” said a source close to the investigation.