Online Reporter
Zvikomborero Parafini
FIVE cops, who were allegedly trapped and arrested after receiving a US$5 bribe by truck driver, appeared in court in Harare yesterday as their trial opened.
Dennis Tafadzwa Chivaku, Freeway Muninipi, Givemore Mucheka, Sharon Madondo and Getrude Ndenga appeared before Harare Magistrate Feresi Chakanyuka and pleaded not guilty.
The five police officers were all attached to a Harare East DHQ operation coded named “NO TO ILLEGAL SAND POACHING.”
Prosecutor Kudakwashe Muza alleged that in June last year, an informant made a report to Police Headquarters Internal investigations that there were members of the force in the Ruwa area who were demanding money from truck drivers who were poaching sand in Ruwa.
PGHQ internal Investigations set a trap to arrest the suspects.
They went to Sunway City in Ruwa where the gang was conducting its operation.
The informant was driving an Iveco 5-tonne vehicle, registration number AED 2865, which had not yet been loaded with sand.
He was in possession of the trap money, which was a US$5 note.
Along Sunway Drive in Ruwa, the informant was intercepted by the five officers, who were using their personal private vehicle.
The car belongs to Mucheka.
They parked the vehicle and demanded money for what they called ‘free passage.’
They were arrested after receiving the trap money.
Through their lawyer, Moffat Makuvatsine, the five officers denied soliciting for or accepting US$5 from Hardlife Sithole on July 1, 2024.
They said they didn’t receive any money from any other person on any other date and or time related to this offence.
They said they were on lawful duty on the day of their arrest.
Chivaku denied stopping the truck, which is in the State papers.
He said the driver of the truck was the one who stopped it when he reached the checkpoint he was manning.
After the routine inspection, he said the vehicle was allowed to pass.
“In order to show that the trapping process was not properly arranged and executed, the accused persons will challenge the whole trapping process as having been not in accordance with standard procedure expected when conducting a trap,” reads part of their defence.
“They will further challenge the composition of the trapping team from the police side in terms of hierarchy as it comprised mainly of their bosses who ordinarily are supposed to be station commanders as opposed to being arresting details, a situation that is very prejudicial to the accused persons.”
- The trial resumes next week.
