Top cop ‘receives steer’ to make case ‘disappear’
By Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu
The officer-in-charge of crime at Guyu Police Station has been arrested for allegedly receiving a steer to dismiss a case against a man who was facing charges of having sexual intercourse with a young person.
Doubt Mapfumo (41) is set to appear at the Gwanda Magistrate’s Court on February 11 facing charges of bribery or alternatively criminal abuse of office.
The matter will proceed by way of summons.
According to State papers, on November 1 last year, Mapfumo allegedly approached the complainant whose son was wanted in connection with a case of having sexual intercourse with a young person and told him to give him a steer for him to dismiss the case.
“On 27 October last year at around 9PM, the complainant’s son had sexual intercourse with a 14-year-old girl thereby contravening Section 70 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act 9:23. He then fled from his home after he was confronted by the girl’s father. The case was being handled by Constable Damaseke at Gungwe Police Base who then referred the matter to Mapfumo for further management as he was in charge of crime,” reads the papers.
“Mapfumo didn’t enter the case in the reports received book. On 1 November the complainant and the girl’s father and his wife went to the police station to see Mapfumo over the matter. Mapfumo dismissed the others and remained with the complainant.”
The State papers further said Mapfumo allegedly instructed the complainant to give him a steer if he wanted his son’s case “to disappear.”
He also allegedly told him to give the girl’s father some goats as compensation for what his son had done to his daughter.
“The complainant agreed to Mapfumo’s demands. Mapfumo didn’t initiate an investigation nor did he give any instructions for the case to be investigated. Mapfumo received a steer from the complainant and sold it to Mr Nkosilathi Khumalo on 7 November.
“On 10 November the girl’s father collected three goats from the complainant’s homestead as instructed by Mapfumo. The matter came to light through a tip off which was made to the police leading to Mapfumo’s arrest,” read the State papers. The Chronicle
