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Conrad Mupesa–Mashonaland West Bureau

THREE top Karoi Vehicle Inspectorate Department (VID) examiners, who were nabbed last Thursday by the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Unit (ZACC) for issuing provisional drivers’ licence certificates to failed candidates, have been remanded in custody. 

The trio issued 26 such provisional licences. 

Senior vehicle inspector Mussa Enesi allegedly issued eight provisional drivers’ licences to failed candidates, while inspector Obvious Vheremu issued 12 and inspector Alois Togarepi issued six after having been deployed to Karoi VID depot to carry out an outreach programme to examine applicants seeking provisional and full drivers’ licences. 

The examiners appeared before Karoi magistrate Mr Godswill Mavenge last Friday facing criminal abuse of office charges. 

They were remanded in custody to tomorrow for continuation of bail application. 

Mr Henry Chapwanya of ZACC objected to the granting of bail, arguing the three officials were a flight risk, as there was overwhelming evidence which includes candidates’ answer sheets, provisional licences issued and the answer sheet template or stencil, and money recovered on them. 

Mr Chapwanya contended the trio might interfere with State witnesses once granted bail. 

Prosecutor Mr Reginald Chavora said on May 13, Mussa, Togarepi and Vheremu examined 61 applicants who sat for provisional learner’s licences. 

The court heard some of the candidates failed the written test, but they connived and recorded that the candidates had passed and proceeded to issue them with provisional learners’ certificates. 

Issuance of learners’ certificates to candidates that would have failed examinations, as allegedly done by the trio, was contrary or inconsistent with their duties as public officers. 

Kudzai Choga and Unite Saize represented the trio.