5 cops including a footballer nabbed over attempt to extort Chinese national

Five Harare police officers who tried to extort US$15 000 from a Chinese national appeared before a Harare magistrate charged with criminal abuse of office.

The five Lawson Muchongwe (34) who is also a footballer with Black Mambas, Perseverance Chisango (31), Weston Muzorewa (36), Prosper Chimbumu aged (33) and Fredrick Moyo (34) appeared before magistrate Donald Ndirowei who granted them US$50 bail.

lt is the state’s case that the five accused persons allegedly approached the complainant who is not named in court papers but a Chinese national saying they got information that the complainant had some sexual harassment allegations which they were investigating.

It is alleged that they then requested to see him over the alleged investigations.

The state alleged that the complainant sought the assistance of his legal practitioner to accompany him to meet the accused persons after they had agreed to meet at Newlands Shopping Centre.

lt is alleged that on October 11, the complainant while in the company of his lawyer proceeded to Newlands Shopping Centre where they met up with the accused persons.

After some deliberations over the alleged sexual harassment issues, the accused demanded US$15 000 so that they would drop the charges which the complainant was facing.

The state alleges that on October 12 the complainant reported the case at Harare Central Police station and Detectives from CID Homicide investigated the allegations.

Investigations revealed that there was no such case of sexual harassment being investigated at ZRP Harare Central neither was there any other police station investigating cases where the complainant is the accused.

The accused persons were arrested after they had gone to collect some money from the complainant.