Cops up for demanding bribe

By Tarisai Machakaire

Two cops appeared in court yesterday facing charges of demanding a R30 000 bribe to free a suspected thief. Tonderai Mumanikidzwa, 41, and Etwell Ngara, 45, denied allegations of criminal abuse of duty as public officers when they appeared before Harare magistrate Francis Mapfumo.

The duo is attached to Criminal Investigations Department, Southerton in Harare.

Prosecutor Desire Chidanire alleged that on February 12, Mumanikidzwa and Ngara were investigating a theft case which had occurred at 22 Eagle Street, Okovango Park, Cape Town in South Africa.

The court heard that the same case had been reported at Warren Park Police Station and Tafadzwa Chiombora was picked up for investigations.

It was alleged that Chiombora was released and police began hunting for Bonwell Chitapa alleged to be the actual perpetrator.

Mumanikidzwa and Ngara demanded cash from Chitapa and this was facilitated by Chiombora.

Chiombora later gave the cops R30 000 who later gave him his share of R10 000 before sharing the balance among themselves.

Mumanikidzwa and Ngara’s extortion came to light on February 14 after Chitapa was arrested by another team of detectives and revealed that he had given another set of cops R30 000 to buy his freedom.

Investigations led to the recovery of R10 000 extorted from him. DailyNews