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Tendai Rupapa Senior Court Reporter
A quest for quick buck backfired for two bogus cops who were terrorising motorists along Josiah Tongogara Avenue near State House in Harare.
Taichivei Dzepatswa and Ishmael Chigayo, who had a full set of police uniforms and identification cards for inspectors, were arrested while waiting to receive $3 000 from a motorist they had “arrested”.

The court heard that the two targeted people who spoke on their cellphones while driving past State House. Dzepatswa and Chigayo recently appeared before Ms Victoria Mashamba, charged with two counts of extortion and impersonating a police officer.

They were remanded to July 16 for trial on $100 bail each.

Prosecutor Mr Nyikadzino Machingura, alleged that on July 1 at around 4pm, Godfrey Mbanga was driving along Josiah Tongogara due west.

When he stopped at the traffic lights at the intersection of Sam Nunjoma and Josiah Tongogara Avenue, Dzepatswa approached him and knocked on his window but he ignored him and sped off.

The pair followed him and when he approached Mazowe Street, he stopped again at the traffic lights and Chigayo knocked at his window and flashed a police identity card, the court heard.

Chigayo allegedly ordered Mbanga to open the window and he complied thinking they were genuine police officers. The pair told him that he was under arrest for compromising the security of the State House of Zimbabwe by using a mobile phone while passing near it and also that The President was on his way in.

They further accused Mbanga of failing to obey a ‘lawful’ order from Dzepatswa, who had first ordered him to stop.

They immediately got into his car and threatened to impound his vehicle.

Dzepatswa and Chigayo allegedly told Mbanga that they would make him disappear never to be seen again if he failed to comply with their orders before demanding $3 000.

Mbanga pleaded with them to let him go to his bank and withdraw the money and they agreed.

It is the State’s case that when they arrived at Avondale Shopping Centre, the duo, ordered Mbanga to switch off his mobile phone and leave it in the car while he went into the bank to withdraw the cash.

Upon his return from the bank with the cash, Mbanga saw three police officers standing at his car with the bogus cops handcuffed.

Mbanga was advised by the police officers that the two were bogus cops and were on the police wanted list for extorting money from various individuals.

Upon their arrest, Dzepatswa was found in possession of a police identity card in the name of Inspector Munemo while Chigayo had a note book with a police logo.

The court further heard that the duo extorted $670 from one Takura Mutiti using the same method.