TWO police officers Friday appeared before a Western Commonage Magistrate facing charges of stealing US$23 000 from a Bulawayo miner.
Joseph Marirangombe (29) and Tafadzwa Sibanda (31) appeared before Magistrate Gladmore Mushowe facing theft charges.
Marirangombe is stationed at the Bulawayo Central police station while Sibanda is based at CID stores.
Appearing for the state, Kenneth Shava told the court that early this month, the accused in the company of one accomplice still at large went to house number 4561 in Gwabalanda.
“Upon arrival, they introduced themselves as police officers and were looking for the complainant’s cousin only known as Prince whom they wanted to interview,” Shava told the court.
The prosecutor further told the court that after being told that Prince was at home, the accused handcuffed the complainant before searching the house. After the search, they stole a gold detector and cash amounting to US$23 000.
Shava told the court the trio informed the miner he was under arrest for illegal gold dealing and asked him to accompany them to Luveve police station.
“They parked outside the station and later told the complainant that they were releasing him pending further investigations. They gave him back the detector and remained with the cash, claiming they wanted to investigate its origins,” said Shava.
The complainant reported the case to the police after Marirangombe kept calling him claiming the police were still investigating the case.
“Complainant ended up doubting the accused’s story and made a report leading to the arrest of the two police officers.”
Magistrate Mushowe granted the police officers $3000 bail each and remanded them to September 11.
The accused were represented by Tinashe Runganga.
New Zimbabwe