Magistrate jailed for freeing VID officers

Zim Now Writer

Karoi provincial magistrate Felix Chauromwe has been slapped with a two-year jail term over his role in the release from remand of three Vehicle Inspectorate Department officers in 2021, in contravention of general lockdown instructions from Chief Justice Luke Malaba.

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

The former provincial magistrate 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.

Zacc said in a statement that Chauromwe was related to one of the accused, all of whom were convicted last year.

According to the State, Chauromwe removed Alois Togarepi, Obvious Vheremu and Mussa Anesi from remand on July 21, 2021, 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 directives governing court operations, filing of pleadings and processes and handling of cases before the courts during the Covid-19 level four national lockdown.

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

Of late, Zacc has been on several cases as it gets hands-on against corruption in the country.

Zacc arrested Godfrey Chiwara of Printflow, firmerly Government Printers, for corruptly concealing a transaction from his employer.

Chiwara, 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.

In another case, Michael Bizah, was arrested for bribery, after he, in connivance with a Zesa employee, contacted Tinashe Nhunhama for electricity installation at his house.

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

The head of Nyakatsapa Mission in Manicaland, Misheck Rwizi has also been arrested for forgery, after he reportedly forged documents to illegally withdraw funds from the school account.