adminMoreblessing Mugomi (30), a female police officer of House Number 2164 Dulibadzimu Township, Lisborn Moyo (32) of House Number 1000 in the medium density area and Jabulani Moyo (22) residing at the ZRP complex in the border town, pleaded not guilty to contravening Section 174 (1) of the Criminal Law (Reform and Codification) Act, Chapter 9:23 (criminal abuse of duty as public officers) when they appeared before Beitbridge provincial magistrate, Mrs Auxilia Chiumburu on Thursday.
They were remanded out of custody to 1 August on $50 bail each.
As part of the bail conditions, they were ordered not to interfere with investigations as well as to reside at their given addresses until the matter has been finalised.
The court heard that on 30 April at about 7am, the trio was deployed at the 317km peg along the Beitbridge-Bulawayo Road where it mounted a roadblock.
The court was told that at about 2pm, the three stopped a South Africa-registered Toyota Hilux driven by one Mr Doctor Hlengani Hlongwane.
They asked Mr Hlongwane to produce his driver’s licence of which he did.
They then ordered him to pay $40 or R400 for an unspecified traffic offence, the court heard.
Mr Hlongwane told the trio that he had R70 and the accused persons allegedly took the money, the court heard.
They, however, allegedly did not enter the money into their receipt book and went on to pocket it.
The three police officers were arrested by the Matabeleland police anti-corruption team, which had been consistently monitoring them leading to the discovery of R680 and $11, which was stashed in their car, a Toyota Starlet (registration number ACA 9582).
The money was not receipted and it is alleged that they extorted it from motorists.
Online Reporter