Two police officers appeared at the Harare Magistrates Court yesterday facing criminal abuse of office charges after they recovered 75 bags of stolen Presidential inputs fertilizer from a Marondera businessman before they connived to leave 55 bags and took only 20 as exhibits after being bribed.
The duo Nelson Chinembiri (36) and Maxwell Mukono (34) who are both Detective Constables stationed at Marondera Criminal Investigation Department appeared before magistrate Marehwanazvo Gofa who remanded them to today for bail application.
Allegations are that on October 24 this year Diana Dune, an Agritex Officer in Macheke was issued with 75 x 50kgs of compound D fertilizer and 75x10kgs of maize seed at Timbermills Grain Marketing Board [GMB] in Macheke.
The inputs were issued under the Presidential Inputs scheme and were meant to be distributed to farmers in ward 34 Macheke.
lt is alleged that instead of taking the inputs to ward 34, Dune with the assistance of Solomon Makaka decided to sell the fertilizer to Maxwell Takawira who is a businessman in the area.
The state alleges that on November 3, the accused persons received information about the theft of the fertilizer and proceeded to Munamba Business Centre, where they managed to recover the 75 x 50kgs fertilizer at Takawira’s shop.
Instead of seizing all the fertilizer, the accused persons demanded that Takawira bribe them so that they would not recover all the fertilizer. To mitigate his loss Takawira agreed with the arrangement and he gave the accused persons USD$500.
Chinembiri and Mukono then went on to seize only 20 x 50kgs fertilizer leaving behind 55 x 50kgs. The accused persons then instructed Takawira to move the remaining 55 bags of fertilizer to a secure place so as to conceal evidence of it ever being there.
lt is alleged that on November 4 and 5 the duo arrested Makaka and Dune respectively and took them to Marondera magistrates for remand placement.
They misrepresented on the request for remand form that they had recovered 20 x 50kgs of the stolen fertilizer yet in actual fact they knew they had left 55x 50kgs of fertilizer behind.
lt is alleged that later during the same week, the accused persons met with Takawira at N Richards Shops in Marondera and demanded for some more bribe money and he gave them US$100.
The state alleges that on a different occasion, the accused persons met again with Takawira at Marondera Post Office and they were given US$130. Cumulatively they received US$730 from Takawira.
lt is alleged that on November 14, officers from the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission received a tip off about the accused person’s shenanigans and proceeded to Munamba Business Center were they recovered the remaining 55 bags of fertilizer from Takawira.
The state alleges that the accused persons knowingly acted contrary to and inconsistent with their duties as public officers as they knowingly omitted to seize the 55 bags of fertilizer after receiving an undue payment of US$ 730 from Takawira.
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