Online Reporter
Danisa Masuku [email protected]
A POLICE officer attached to the Provincial Reaction Group in Bulawayo has found herself in trouble for allegedly locking colleagues inside her shebeen to prevent them from confiscating alcohol being sold at her illegal drinking spot.
Modester Nyambe (31) appeared for trial last Friday before Bulawayo Provincial Magistrate Isheunesu Mathoba, facing a charge of obstructing or defeating the course of justice.
She pleaded not guilty and is represented by her lawyer, Ms Toboka Nyathi.
During cross-examination, the complainant, Assistant Inspector Lloyd Mazura, said he and his colleagues arrived at the shebeen, which is located in a building in the city centre.
“We received a tip-off that there was a shebeen operating in the city. We headed there and found a man selling alcohol. He told us that he was not the owner.
“He said he was just an employee working for Nyambe. The man called Nyambe on her mobile phone, and she arrived quickly. She tried to reason with us to prevent us from confiscating the crates of alcohol, but we did not entertain her,” said Asst Insp Mazura.
He told the court that Nyambe blocked them from confiscating alcohol worth US$5 000.
“She seized the keys and dashed outside the room before locking us inside. We had to call the officer-in-charge, who then dispatched a team to open the door for us,” said Asst Insp Mazura.
However, Nyambe, through her lawyer, disputed the claims.
“She never locked them inside the shebeen, and when they arrived at the scene, she was not there,” said Ms Nyathi.
The matter was postponed to 18 February for the continuation of the trial.
Principal Prosecutor, Mr Milton Ncube, told the court that on 30 December last year, shortly after 3 PM, Asst Insp Mazura and his colleagues arrived at the shebeen located in the city centre.
“They found a man named Dodsway Mutsungi selling alcohol. They demanded a license, and he told them that he was not the owner of the shebeen. He informed them that it was owned by Nyambe,” he said.
“Mutsungi called Nyambe on her mobile phone and she arrived quickly, wearing a police uniform. She tried to negotiate with the police officers so they would not arrest him, but they turned down her request. “The accused person then ran outside the shebeen and locked the gate of the premises, thereby obstructing them from seizing the alcohol to be treated as exhibits.
Asst Insp Mazura then called his superiors, who engaged police from the Support Unit, leading to Nyambe’s capitulation and subsequent arrest,” said Mr Ncube.
