Wanted man blows cover

Court Reporter
A Harare man wanted by police for an undisclosed offence unwittingly gave himself up when he masqueraded as a cop and “arrested” someone for public urinating.
Probably unaware that the law was after him, Lawrence Mashonganyika (37) took a man he had reportedly caught urinating in public to the police post at Market Square.
He allegedly identified himself as a policeman, but the cops at the post quickly verified that he was not one of them.
Further investigations revealed that Ma-shonganyika – who has previous convictions – was on the police wanted list for an undisclosed offence.
Mashonganyika has since appeared in court charged with impersonating a police officer.
He was not asked to plead when he appeared before Harare magistrate Mr Don Ndirowei who remanded him out of custody to February 28 this year on his own recognisance.
Prosecutor Ms Svodai Kadivirire alleges that on February 10 this year at Market Square, Mashonganyika approached Amos Jimu and identified himself as a policeman.
He allegedly “arrested” Jimu for urinating in public and told him to pay a bribe or go to jail.
When Jimu refused to pay the bribe, the State says, Mashonganyika took him to Market Square Police Post and tried to get him formally charged.
However, the real cops saw through Mashonganyika and promptly arrested him.