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THE two detectives who were arrested recently for allegedly extorting R80 000 from two gold dealers have appeared in court to answer to charges of extortion.
Detective Sergeants Moses Taruva (36) and Godfrey Moyo (38) pleaded not guilty to the offence when they appeared before Western Commonage magistrate Mrs Tancy Dube yesterday.
Det Sgt Taruva, of Flat D5 Ross Camp was assigned to the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) Residential while Det Sgt Moyo, of Sibet Court, at the corner of Jason Moyo Street and 14th Avenue, was attached to CID Theft at Bulawayo Central Police Station.
The two, who are being represented by Mr David Mhiribidi, of D W Mhiribidi and Company, were served with summonses.
Mr Tony Kamudyariwa for the State yesterday led evidence from the first complainant, Mr Jabulani Gwizi.
The matter was postponed to Monday when Mr Gwizi and the second complainant, Mr Aleck Zikhali, would further testify.
Det Sgts Taruva and Moyo are out of custody on their own cognisance.
It is alleged that the two extorted R80 000 from Mr Gwizi and Mr Zikhali after threatening to arrest them for smuggling gold to South Africa. The two accused allegedly told their victims that they had been sent to kill them by the South African Police Service.
The court was told that on 1 September, Det Sgts Taruva and Moyo, who were off duty, hatched a plan to extort money from the complainants and drove to Luveve Police Station in a vehicle driven by Moyo.
They were allegedly armed with a service pistol and phoned Constable Nyamukanya who was on duty and allegedly misrepresented to him that they wanted to arrest Mr Gwizi for a series of unlawful entry cases and they wanted a police officer in uniform to escort them.
When they got to House Number 1016 Emakhandeni, they handcuffed Messrs Gwizi and Zikhali, who they allegedly started assaulting before shoving them into their car.
The court was told that they drove to Luveve Police Station where they dropped Const Nyamukanya after allegedly telling him that they were taking the two complainants to Bulawayo Central Police Station.
The court was told that Det Sgt Taruva and Det Sgt Moyo told Messrs Gwizi and Zikhali that they were lucky to be alive as they had been sent to arrest and kill them.
It is alleged that the two detectives demanded a bribe of R100 000 and fearing for their lives, Messrs Gwizi and Zikhali told them that they had some money in Mpopoma.
They allegedly drove to a house in Mpopoma where the two detectives took away R80 000 and a cash box and left the complainants with R20 000.
The court was told that the detectives took the two complainants to Western Commonage Police Station where they were helped by Const Chinanzvire to uncuff them.
Det Sgts Taruva and Moyo allegedly dumped Messrs Gwizi and Zikhali at Nguboyenja flyover after warning them not to tell anyone about what had happened.
The two complainants reported the matter to the police on 2 September leading to the arrest of the two.
The money and cash box were not recovered.
Online Reporter