adminThandeka Moyo Court Reporter
A Bulawayo magistrate yesterday turned down an application to dismiss extortion charges on a senior police officer, Detective Chief Inspector George Machinga.
Machinga, 44, allegedly received $300 from a suspect who wanted to buy his freedom from police holding cells. A trap was set for him in his office at CABS Building in July.
Magistrate Gladmore Mushove dismissed the application and remanded the matter to September 22.
Machinga, through his lawyer Mlamuli Ncube, had applied to the court to dismiss the charges as he pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Prosecutor Tafadzwa Mutsambiwa said on June 19 this year a fraud suspect, Pardon Dube, received a call from Detective Sergeant Ncube to come to the CID offices to answer questions of misrepresenting a lawyer.
Dube had allegedly defrauded Cardelai Bhatshisi of $250 after claiming to be a lawyer in a matter in which she needed legal representation.
After the call from Det Sgt Ncube, the court heard that Dube proceeded to the CID offices but elected not to look for Det Sgt Ncube but instead went to his boss Machinga’s office to seek clarification on the alleged charge.
“Machinga told Dube that Ncube was ready to arrest him, but he had stopped him from doing so,” said Mutsambiwa. The court heard that Machinga advised Dube to look for $550 of which $300 was for buying his freedom, and $250 to refund Bhatshisi who had reported him for fraud. Machinga then took Dube’s plastic identity card as surety that he would come back with the money, said the prosecutor.
“The following day, Dube went around looking for $300 but felt the demand was too much and approached police commanders at ZRP provincial headquarters at Ross Camp where a plan to trap Machinga was hatched,” said Mutsambiwa.
Machinga was later arrested that day. He was searched and found in possession of $300 with serial numbers that matched Dube’s notes.
Bongani Ndlovu