Two Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) members based in Beitbridge have each been jailed for an effective 18 months after taking a bribe from a suspect arrested for illegal possession of drugs in October 2023.
Andrew Masakadza (37) and Fungai Gomo (33), both deployed to ZRP Beitbridge Rural, took a R1 200 bribe from Youbeen Mudimba Lutumba Growth Point.
The source reported that the cops denied the charges of criminal abuse of office as public officials, but Beitbridge resident Magistrate Takudzwa Gwazemba convicted them on the strength of the State’s evidence.
The two were each sentenced to 24 months in jail, but six months were suspended on condition of future good behaviour.
It was the State case that on 23 October 2023, at around 9 PM at the Lutumba business centre, Masakadza and Gomo heard that Mudimba was selling drugs at her home in Lutumba.
The two police officers, who lived in the same area, proceeded to Mudimba’s house known as Happy’s Kitchen.
Upon arrival, the two, who were dressed in civilian clothes, saw Mudimba and searched her shop.
They handcuffed her and another villager, Simbabrashe Ndou who they found at the shop and ordered them into the house.
Masakadza and Gomo searched the house and recovered 30 by 100ml bottles of broncleer syrup, 250 twists of mbanje and a plastic sachet containing US$100 and R8 000.
Source Pindula News
