National Prosecuting Authority charges magistrate ...

National Prosecuting Authority charges magistrate for accepting bribe

Zim Now Writer

A Mutawatawa magistrate was arraigned before the Murehwa Magistrates’ Courts facing charges of criminal abuse of duty as a public officer.

The National Prosecuting Authority alleges that on September 5, 2022, the accused person, Edwin Marecha, 42, received a bribe of US$80 from Artwell Parrafin.

The bribe was for the magistrate to give Parrafin’s relative, Gardner Gomba, a non-custodial sentence or a fine for an assault case which was due for plea recording in Mutawatawa court.

According to the National Prosecuting Authority, the offence came to light when Parrafin went to court expecting Gomba to appear before the accused person and for the matter to proceed as arranged.

Parrafin had been forced into paying the bride by one Taurai Zariro who was facilitating the bribe.

When his relative did not appear before the accused person he then realised that he had been duped by Zariro as the same could not assist him as he was neither a police officer nor an officer of the court.

Meanwhile, accused person has been granted ZWL$30 000 bail and the matter has been remanded to the 27th of February 2023.