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Crime Reporter
Police have questioned nine of the 11 suspected armed robbers being implicated in a case involving principal public prosecutor Henry Muringani, who appeared in court last week on allegations of preparing and facilitating bail application for an armed robber resulting in the court releasing the suspect twice.
Muringani is now facing 11 fresh charges over the allegations.
He recently appeared at the Harare Magistrates Court charged with criminal abuse of office and alternatively defeating the course of justice.
He is still in custody.
Muringani appeared before regional magistrate Mr Stanford Mambanje accused of preparing a bail application for Tatenda Tawanda Mutengo, who was being charged with armed robbery and unlawful possession of a firearm.
In the new charges, Muringani is accused of altering armed robbery charges for criminals to charges of either attempted murder or rape, where bail is easier, before facilitating their release.
Sources close to the investigations said Muringani had been involved in the release on bail of some of the country’s wanted armed robbers who included Conwell Junior Kasambarare, Spicer Takawira, Tawanda Karase, Timothy Ruchivo, Nabal Prosper Moyo, Atipaishe Sibanda, Takaenda Simbarashe, Prosper Chidaushe, Harry Hugo Soul, Edwin Muchagwa and Bill Tirihama.
By yesterday detectives from CID Homicide who are conducting investigations, had questioned nine of the suspected robbers over the issue.
Sources close to the investigations allege that through their relatives, Muringani would demand US$800 from each of them so that he would facilitate bail, claiming that he was spliting the fee with a High Court Judge although so far no evidence of any involvement by the judiciary has appeared.
Detectives who have since engaged officials from the National Prosecution Authority (NPA) to assist are now keen to interview the suspected armed robbers’ relatives who had once engaged Muringani over the matter.
Most of these suspects are still in custody after the offence was discovered, but others, including Kasambarare, are now at large.
Kasambarare, believed to be part of the famous Musa Taj Abdul gang, is facing a range of robbery and housebreaking charges.
After he was released last year, he jumped bail, but was re-arrested early this year on charges of committing a spate of heists countrywide, including the famous Mashwede Holdings robbery.
Kasambarare was released on bail after his re-arrest and police are now hunting him.
Kasambarare, Spicer Takawira, Leo Mandaza, Godwin Kusikwenyu and another man only identified as Chamu, allegedly committed seven cases of housebreaking and theft in Harare.
The gang, together with Musafare Mupamhanga are also alleged to be part of the gang that raided Mashwede Holdings last year and got away with over US$100 000, R42 000, $14 000 worth of fuel coupons, firearms and 20 live rounds of ammunition.
In the case of Mutengo in which Muringani is accused of having facilitated bail, the State presented that on December 20 last year detectives from CID Homicide arrested Mutengo, who had been on the run for armed robbery. He was found in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
Mutengo was then taken to court the following day where he was advised to apply for bail at the High Court.
On January 17 this year, Mutengo applied for bail at the High Court and his application was dismissed. The court heard that Mutengo, while in remand prison, heard that there was someone from the NPA who was assisting suspects facing armed robbery and other serious crimes to get bail.
On January 29, he was visited by his uncle Eliah Tatenda Murenzvi at Chikurubi Maximum Prison where he gave him a note with his CRB number and Muringani’s contact.
Mutengo allegedly instructed Murenzvi to call Muringani and hand him the note.
Muringani allegedly promised Murenzvi that his nephew would be freed on bail and asked him to meet at Whitehouse Shops in Harare where he allegedly demanded US$500 facilitation fees.
Murenzvi is said to have paid the money in instalments of US$20, US$380 and US$100.
On February 6, Muringani allegedly called Murenzvi to meet him at Whitehouse to collect some papers which he was supposed to hand over to Mutengo to use during his bail application.
The bail hearing was heard on February 8, according to the State.
It is said that Muringani altered the armed robbery charge to attempted murder with CRB 12195/21 which related to Mutengo’s unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition charge.
Mutengo then appeared at the High Court as a self-actor using papers that had been prepared by Muringani.
He then allegedly defended his bail application using the altered documents and was granted $5 000 bail coupled with other reporting conditions.
It is said that the other CRB 12196/21 relating to armed robbery charge was not captured on the bail release order, resulting in him failing to be released from prison.
On February 17, Muringani allegedly facilitated another bail application using CRB 12196/21 while citing rape charges. He allegedly charged US$200 facilitation fees.
The court heard that on February 20, Muringani phoned Murenzvi and gave him bail application papers which he delivered to Mutengo.
Mutengo went on to apply for bail on February 23 and was released on $10 000 bail.
Detectives got wind of Muringani’s acts and went to arrest him on February 26 and police retrieved communication between him and Murenzvi and other prison inmates’ relatives whom he had assisted.
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