Karoi magistrate jailed two years Caroline Ziyanga (42) was convicted after a full trial and was initially sentenced to 90 years in prison on the nine counts of human trafficking but will serve 30 as some of the counts will run concurrently. 

Crime Reporter 

Karoi provincial magistrate Felix Chauromwe has been sentenced to two-years in jail over his release from remand of three Vehicle Inspectorate Department (VID) officers in 2021 in contravention of general lockdown instructions from Chief Justice Luke Malaba.

He was recently arrested by the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission and was last week convicted of criminal abuse of duty and sentenced to three years, one of which was suspended on condition of future good behaviour.

He was accused of releasing three VID officers accused of corruption during the Covid-19 total shut down against a directive back then, for cases to be on automatic remand.

In a statement, ZACC said Chauromwe was related to one of the accused, all of whom were convicted last year.

According to the State, on 21 July 2021, Chauromwe removed Alois Togarepi, Obvious Vheremu and Mussa Anesi from remand contrary to the Practice Direction 6 of 2021 issued by Chief Justice Luke Malaba. The three were facing criminal abuse of office charges.

Chief Justice Malaba had issued the direction to govern court operations, filing of pleadings and processes and handling of cases before the courts during the level four national lockdown. 

His direction suspended the filing of new cases, processes, documents, pleadings and papers until July 27 of that year.

ZACC has been busy in other directions as it cleans up corruption.

ZACC arrested Godfrey Chiwara of Printflow, the Government-owned printers, for corruptly concealing a transaction from his employer as defined in section 172 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform Act Chapter 9:23).

The accused, who is employed by Printflow as corporate services director, carried out a transaction involving US$196 586,29 without disclosing to Printflow the full nature of the transaction.

Another suspect, Michael Bizah, has been arrested for bribery.

According to ZACC, Bizah acting in connivance with a Zesa employee, contacted Tinashe Nhunhama for electricity installation at his house. 

On Wednesday last week, Bizah went to Mr Nhunhama’s house and demanded US$500. Mr Nhunhama reported the demand to ZACC and a trap was set, which Bizah walked into and was arrested.

A school head for Nyakatsapa Mission in Manicaland Misheck Rwizi has also been arrested for forgery. 

It is alleged that last year he forged documents to illegally withdraw funds amounting to $432 900 from the school account.

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