Detectives nabbed over US$1 000 extortion

Zim Now Writer

Two detectives from CID Bindura were arraigned before the court last week on allegations of extorting money from a suspected armed robber they had helped secure bail.

The two then started demanding more money until he approached the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission who set a trap, leading to their arrest.

Detective Constable Petros Kambalazaza and Detective Assistant Inspector Elvis Magaya appeared before regional magistrate Vongai Muchuchuti-Guwuriro the Harare Magistrates' Courts charged with extortion.

They were not asked to plead to the charges but Muchuchuti-Guwuriro remanded Kambalazaza to today for his bail application while Magaya was granted $50 000 bail.

The duo allegedly initially extorted US$1 000 from suspected robber Godfrey Chimupanje of Katarira, Mutyoramwendo Village under Chief Chiswiti. While he was on bail, the two tried to extort more.

The State, led by Zebadiah Bofu, alleges that on December 7 last year Kambalazaza, Magaya and a third officer identified only as detective Charuma, and who apparently was not involved in the later extortion, arrested Chimupanje on allegations of robbery before taking him to CID Bindura for questioning.

On December 12, Kambalazaza took Chimupanje to the Bindura Magistrates' Courts for initial remand and he was remanded in custody to December 23.

On the next day, Kambalazaza and Magaya visited Chimupanje at Bindura remand prison where they booked him out for indications, a normal police procedure at this point.

They took him to CID Bindura offices, where they did not get out of the car but allegedly told him that they could make the charges vanish if he gave them US$1 000.

Chimupanje told them he could not get the money and could not phone his wife since investigators had taken his wife’s phone.

The two told him to call his mother-in-law so that he could speak to his wife and ask her for money.

Kambalazaza allegedly called Chimupanje's wife who promised to get the money two days later on December 15. Kambalazaza then told Chimupanje's wife that he would take him back to remand prison until she brought the money.

The court heard that Chimupanje's two wives later contributed US$400 and took it to the two cops.

Chimupanje was booked from Bindura Remand Prison and taken to Kambalazaza’s office at CID Bindura where the wives handed over the US$400.

Kambalazaza asked the two women not to disclose the amount to his colleagues as he wanted to pocket US$200 and share the remainder with others, promising them that he would arrange for Chimupanje's release.

Around 2pm on the same day, Kambalazaza booked Chimupanje from remand prison and took him to Bindura Magistrates’ Courts, where he was granted bail and was remanded to December 23.

On December 22, Kambalazaza called Chimupanje advising him to bring the balance when he attended court of which he gave the detectives US$300 on December 23 and was remanded to January 10 this year.

On January 9, Kambalazaza reportedly called Chimupanje demanding the final payment of US$300 the next day but he told him that he did not have the money at that time but could get it around 2pm on the same day.

The court heard that Kambalazaza called Chimupanje on January 26, reminding him to bring his balance and he was remanded to February 28.

The two detectives later met Chimupanje at the court gate where they angrily asked why he had lied and told him to get into their car. They told
Chimupanje that they were preparing summons for him to reappear in court since he had no money.

They allegedly made him sign a document that indicated that he would appear in court on March 15.

The court heard that they searched his pockets and took his personal documents and warned him that if he did not bring the money they now wanted they would ensure that he languished in remand prison.

They threatened that if he did not bring the money, they would stage a robbery and plant his identity documents at the scene to incriminate him for the robbery.

Chimupanje told them that he was going to sell his stand in order to get money to pay them and the detectives agreed to let him go.

Chimupanje reported the alleged extortion to the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission on March 15.

On March 28, a trap was set, leading to the arrest of the two detectives.