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Prosper Dembedza-Herald Correspondent

FIVE Harare police officers have appeared in court on allegations of trying to extort US$15 000 from a legal practitioner in order to drop sexual abuse charges against his client.

Lawson Muchongwe (34), Perseverence Chisango,(31) Weston Muzorewa (36), Prosper Chimbumu (33) and Fredrick Moyo (34) were facing charges of criminal abuse of office when they appeared before Harare magistrate Mr Donald Ndirowei and were each freed on $50 000 bail.

The court heard that the five told the lawyer’s client that they were investigating sexual harassment charges against him and wanted to see him.  He immediately sought the assistance of his legal practitioner to accompany him to meet the five at Newlands shopping centre in Harare on October 11. 

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

Instead, the following day on October 12 the man  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, and neither was there any other police station investigating cases where the man is the accused.

The five were then arrested after they went to collect some of the money they were seeking.