Senior cop in trouble over abuse of office

Assistant Inspector Bernard Chakanetsa (53), who is member-in-charge of the Anti-Stocktheft Unit based at Nkayi Police Station was arrested last week on Thursday and detained until yesterday when he appeared before Nkayi magistrate Mr Ndumo Masuku.
He is being accused of ordering the release of six head of cattle that were being kept as Lost and Found Property without verifying if the person claiming them was the real owner.

Chakanetsa was implicated by one Eunice Moyo (38), from Kennilworth, who claimed she was the owner of the cattle and drove them to Kennilworth.
She was arrested after the real owner of the cattle positively identified them and she had already sold one of them.
Moyo was convicted and sentenced to 12 years in jail last week for the offence.

The case is likely to draw in Chief Mtshana of Bubi District after Chakanetsa implicated him in court, saying he was the one who authorised him to release the cattle.
Allegations against Chakanetsa are that on 8 February, he was approached by Moyo who told him she was the owner of six head of cattle that were being kept by a villager, Mr Mthokozisi Mabhena, under Nkayi Lost and Found Property Number 10/12.

Chakanetsa allegedly wrote a letter to Mr Mabhena claiming to be the trustee to the cattle and ordered him to release them to Moyo, who then drove them to Inyathi.
Chakanetsa allegedly did not verify Moyo’s claims whether she owned the cattle or verify with the lost property book to check if the cattle had been entered as lost property.

The court heard that he went ahead and allowed Moyo to drive the cattle to Inyathi without authority from the Veterinary Services Department and police clearance.
It is alleged that Moyo did not sign any document that she had collected the cattle.

It is the State’s contention as presented by Mr Maxwell Hapanyengwi that Chakanetsa acted in contrast and inconsistently with his duty as a public officer.
Chakanetsa indicated he would plead not guilty to the charge because he had been authorised by Chief Mtshana.
He was remanded out of custody on his own cognisance to 15 May.