STAFF REPORTER
The prosecutor in charge of Mutasa Magistrate Court, Shephard Chavarika and two police officers, Liberty Tivafukidze and Sencia Masase stationed at Mutasa Police Station, have been arrested and charged with extortion and criminal abuse of duty.
They allegedly demanded bribes from two complainants, to facilitate the release of an impounded truck and to influence the outcome of a criminal case pending before the court.
Allegations are that sometime in March 2025, one of the complainants leased her truck for transportation of agricultural produce from Honde Valley to Harare. On March 26, the truck was impounded by Tivafukidze and Masase at a roadblock in Marara area on suspicion of transporting smuggled goods. The owners of the goods were also arrested.
The owners of the goods suspected to have been smuggled were taken to Mutasa Magistrate Court with Chavarika, now a suspect, prosecuting the case.
On April 3, Constable Tivafukidze allegedly contacted one of the complainants and summoned her to Hauna, where she met with both Tivafukidze and Chavarika. The two allegedly demanded a bribe of USD 500.00 to facilitate the release of the vehicle. The complainant reportedly paid USD 170.00 in cash and made an additional Ecocash transaction of USD 100.00 the following day.
Chavarika assured complainants that the truck would be released by April 9, but the truck was taken to ZIMRA compound at the Forbes Border post instead.
The accused persons allegedly further demanded an addition USD 300.00 to facilitate the acquittal of suspects who were arrested when the vehicle was impounded, prompting the complainants to report the matter to the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC).
A sting operation was conducted, leading to the arrest of the three accused persons at the Mutasa Magistrates Court and USD 200.00 was recovered from Chavarika.
The accused persons have since appeared before Mutare Provincial Magistrate, Enia Ndiraya and were remanded to June 5, on USD 100.00 bail.
