The ManicaPost
Lovemore Kadzura Post Reporters
Police in Rusape have arrested three security officers who allegedly took advantage of the Covid-19 lockdown to harass people and extort hard currency from them.
The suspects were identified in court last Friday as Constable Samuel Kasawaya (39) of Vengere, neighbourhood watch officer Action Chiroodza (44) of Magamba Extension and Higgnor Tinashe Matsika (31), a soldier, of Sanzaguru. The three suspects appeared before Rusape magistrate Mr Farai Gwitima facing allegations of contravening Section 134 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act, which makes extortion a punishable offence.
Kasawaya, Chiroodza and Matsika, who were represented by Rusape-based lawyer Mr Leonard Chigadza of Chigadza and Associates Legal Practitioners, are denying the allegations. The trio argued that they are being framed after advising the complainants to stop their illegal operations during the lockdown.
In fact, Mr Chigadza claimed that Matsika was the victim as he was forced to admit that he had received some money from the accused. The three were freed on Monday and remanded to May 8, 2020, on $4 000 bail each.
However, they were locked up at Rusape Remand Prison over the weekend after failing to raise the bail money. They are now out on bail. As part of their bail conditions, the three were ordered to report at CID Rusape on Mondays and Thursdays, reside at their given addresses and not to interfere with State witnesses until finalisation of the matter.
Prosecutor Mrs Theresa Mangwende told the court that on April 14, Kasawaya, Chiroodza and Matsika were not on duty when they allegedly extorted US$250 from two quarry miners while accusing them of violating lockdown regulations by not staying at home.
“On April 14, 2020 at around 1100hrs, Argentino Kagodo and Petros Mandeya of Zumbani Mberi Mining Syndicate, were at their quartz stones’ mining site when the three accused persons, who were not on official deployment and clad in civilian attire, arrived in a Toyota Corolla (Registration Number ADB 1500) driven by Chiroodza. The three accused persons approached the complainants and requested to check their mining permit. They accused them of operating during the lockdown period.
“They then demanded US$250 from the complainants, so that they could buy their freedom. However, the complainants paid USD$80, thereby leaving a balance of US$170.
“Kagodo paid a further US$50 to Kasawaya,” said Mrs Mangwende.
The three suspects allegedly escorted the complainants to Rusape to withdraw more money. After the withdrawal, another US$30 was paid to Kasawaya.
“The three accused persons shared the money after dropping the complainants at a local supermarket.”
