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Fungai Jachi Court Correspondent
Three traffic police officers stationed at Mabvuku Police Station appeared in court yesterday for allegedly demanding bribes amounting to $240 from commuter omnibus crews.

Dorcas Kanyemba (37), Babra Macharika (21) and Malvia Simbarashe Chigweshe (22) appeared before Harare magistrate Mr Tendai Mahwe charged with criminal abuse of office.

They were remanded in custody to today for bail application.

Prosecutor Ms Francisca Mukumbiri alleges that on October 19 Assistant Inspector Thomas Mabgwe from Police General Headquarters (Police Intelligence Directorate) received information that traffic officers at Mabvuku Police Station were demanding bribes from commuter omnibus crews.

It is alleged the trio would demand $5 from each commuter omnibus operator who plied the Mabvuku-City route.

The commuter operators would pay the money at the Mabvuku traffic offices in the morning between 4am and 6am, it is alleged.

The court heard that those who were given a code would be allowed free passage at the roadblock.

It is the State’s case that a trap was set up for the trio whereby Ass Insp Mabgwe instructed police officers unknown to the three accused persons to pose as commuter omnibus crews.

The four undercover cops went to pay $5 each for two commuter omnibuses.

The two $5 notes where photocopied.

Macharika and Chigweshe were approached by Ass Insp Mabgwe who confronted them about their dealings and Macharika was still holding the two $5 notes.

She then produced $230 from her pocket which was part of the money they had received that morning.

The three were subsequently arrested.

In a separate case, a police officer based at Chitungwiza Police Station allegedly connived with a member of the neighbourhood watch committee to extort $35 from the director of Passneck Investments after arresting him on charges of loitering for the purposes of prostitution, writes Lovemore Meya.

Constable Tafadzwa Matigimu (23) of Glen View 1 in Harare is jointly charged with Taitos Chere (26) of Unit P in Chitungwiza for allegedly using a pellet gun to arrest Amon Mambinge of Unit L.

Chere is also self-employed as a taxi driver at Makoni Shopping Centre.

The pair denied extortion charges when they appeared before Chitungwiza magistrate Ms Tafadzwa Miti.

Ms Miti remanded the duo to today for trial on $50 bail each.

Prosecuting,Mr Edmond Ndambakuwa alleged that on October 1 this year, and at around 12.30am, Mambinge who is director at Passneck Investments, went to Unit K to see his female friend, Blessing Bandura.

On arrival, the court heard that Mambinge parked his vehicle in front of Bandura’s main gate at her house.

The duo, who were on an unsanctioned patrol driving in a Toyota Spacio, spotted Mambinge’s parked car.

They approached him identifying themselves as police officers telling him that he was under arrest on charges of loitering for the purposes of prostitution.

Chere allegedly produced his police identity card and showed it to Mambinge.

Mambinge doubted the authenticity of the ID citing that it was not legible and resisted arrest.

This forced Chere to allegedly draw a pellet (air) gun from his car and pointed it to Mambinge, thereby effecting arrest upon him.

Chere is further alleged to have handcuffed Mambinge and pushed him into his car.

They allegedly took him to Chitungwiza Police Station using Chere’s car and upon reaching the main gate, at the station, the duo pulled off the road.

The court heard that they started demanding money from Mambinge so that they could release him.

Mambinge told them that he had no cash but indicated to have some in his EcoCash wallet.

They allegedly instructed him to transfer it to their number 0773 782 390 bearing the particulars of Believe Mutemasango.

After sending the money, the duo allegedly released him and later shared the money.

The matter was reported to the police leading to their arrest.