Police officer switches evidence in game meat arrest

Midlands Bureau Chief
A 36-year-old police officer has been arrested for allegedly replacing game meat with goat meat to protect his brother who had been arrested for possessing the game meat.

Palmer Munhenga appeared before Gweru Magistrate Mr Blessing Tsingano facing one count of defeating or obstructing the course of justice. He was not asked to plead.

Through his lawyer Mr Esau Mandipa of Mutatu and Mandipa Legal Practice, Munhenga made an application for refusal of placement on remand arguing that he was not the police officer on duty who was handed the alleged game meat to keep as an exhibit.

Munhenga argued that he had asked for his brother to be released into his custody but didn’t in any way tamper or destroy the exhibit. Mr Tsingano granted the application for refusal of placement on remand.

The matter will proceed by way of summons. It is the State case that on Friday, January 21, Zimisele Nyathi was arrested after he was found in possession of game meat.

Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZimParks) rangers were alerted and confirmed that the meat in Nyathi’s possession was game meat.

He was then detained at Gweru Central Police Station and the meat was recovered as an exhibit. The court heard that Munhenga allegedly requested the release of Nyathi into his custody.

The police officer on duty allegedly agreed to release Nyathi who was also given the game meat which he took home.

After his release, the court heard that Munhenga and Nyathi hatched a plan to conceal and destroy the game meat which they had taken from the charge office.

They allegedly later brought goat meat to replace the game meat as an exhibit in an attempt to destroy evidence. ZimParks rangers raised alarm that the exhibit had been tampered with.