Moffat Mungazi
Ray Bande
Senior Reporter
A COMMUTER omnibus driver and conductor were found guilty of bribing a police officer at a roadblock, and ordered to pay a fine of US$120 or face a 10-day jail term.
The duo of Emmanuel Pemba (47) and Josphat Taizivei (38) was convicted under Section 170(1)(b) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act, Chapter 9:23.
Mutare provincial magistrate, Mr Tendai Mahwe, presided over the case, with Ms Joyce Tinarwo prosecuting.
The complainant in the case is the State, represented by Mr Shingirai Mudede, a senior investigations officer at Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC).
The court was informed that the accused are employed by Taxi Boss, a public transport company, where they work as conductor and driver of a commuter omnibus which operates on the Mutare CBD to Dangamvura route.
Ms Tinarwo said Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Mutare Office received an anonymous tip on December 11, 2024, alleging that police officers at a roadblock near Mutare Teachers’ College were soliciting for bribes from motorists.
In response, anti-corruption officers conducted surveillance in the area and observed Pemba’s vehicle being stopped at the roadblock around 10.15am while ferrying passengers to Dangamvura.
Ms Tinarwo said upon being stopped, Taizivei exited the commuter omnibus and approached a uniformed ZRP officer who had flagged the vehicle.
He handed over US$3 to a ZRP officer from Police Intelligence Unit, Peace Runyararo Muchenje, who was in plain clothes, as they shook hands. The officer placed the US$3 in the left pocket of his pair of trousers.
Immediately thereafter, Pemba hastily returned to the commuter omnibus and drove off.
The court heard that ZACC officers, Mr Shingirai Mudede and investigations officer, Mr Guy Chinoda, witnessed the entire incident, and promptly arrested Muchenje.
A manhunt for Pemba and Taizivei led to their subsequent arrest in Mutare’s Central Business District.
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