Zimpapers Logo

Nyore Madzianike 

Senior Court Reporter 

A 32-year-old man from Chapfuche Village, Chief Sitaudze, Beitbridge was jailed for an effective eight months for attempting to bribe the district public prosecutor with R5 000 to arrange to have his two relatives acquitted of stock theft charges at Beitbridge Magistrates Court.

He offered her the money in front of a police superintendent dressed in plain clothes and handed that officer the cash before hidden police witnesses.

Edmore Makondo was sentenced to 12 months but four months were suspended on condition of future good behaviour. The R5 000 was forfeited to the State.

Makondo had offered the money to Ms Tinayeishe Matenga for her to influence the outcome of the trial of his two relatives, Thomas and Lloyd Moyo, who had been arrested for stock theft.

Thomas and Lloyd were arrested on February 8 this year by ZRP Beitbridge Rural and were taken to Beitbridge Magistrates Court where they were remanded in custody pending trial.

In a bid to secure the release of his relatives, Makondo, a taxi driver, went to Beitbridge Magistrates Court on Thursday last week, where he approached district public prosecutor Ms Matenga to find our who was handling the Moyo trial. Told she was prosecuting herself, he offered her the mkoney but she immediately, while Makondo was still in her office, called Superintendent Philisani Ndebele who went to Ms Matenga’s office in civilian dress, and was introduced as a friend of the prosecutor.

Makondo immediately started discussing with the two on how they would influence the release of his relativesand that he wanted the two to ensure that his relatives would not be found guilty of stock theft.

DPP Ms Matenga and Superintendent Ndebele pretended as if they had agreed and asked him to bring the money. Makondo returned on the following day and approached Ms Matenga in her office saying he had brought the money.

She told Supt Ndebele who asked her to refer Makondo the the N and R complex in Beitbridge. Makonde went there, met Supt Ndebele and handed over the cash. He was arrested by the officers from CID who witnessed the handover, and then tried.