TWO Gwanda-based police officers that are allegedly part of an organised cattle rustling syndicate that stole 10 cattle in Filabusi will languish in remand prison after they were denied bail yesterday. OWN CORRESPONDENT
Constables Brodrick Moyo (27) and Pirate Mazarire (30) will remain caged until the finalisation of their case after the State successfully argued that they were likely to interfere with witnesses should they be granted bail.
The two are set to appear in court on August 13.
Their lawyer McAllister Ncube had argued that they were suitable candidates for bail as police officers and should be presumed innocent until proven guilty.
However, Gwanda magistrate Sheila Nazombe said the two were likely to interfere with investigations if released as some of their alleged accomplices were still on the run.
She pointed out that their bid to bribe the investigating officer proved the two had the potential to disrupt police investigations.
It was the State’s case that earlier this month, Moyo and Mazarire connived with Victor Mwene and Tichafa Shumba, who are still on the run, to steal cattle from Filabusi and transport them to Bulawayo.
Moyo and the two still at large approached Mazarire, who was manning Selonga Police Base, and connived with him to issue a forged stock clearance form which was used to transport the stolen cattle to Bulawayo.
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The cattle were recovered in the city.
Moyo was paid $400 by Shumba via mobile money transfer service EcoCash that was meant to bribe the investigating officer.
At least $300 was recovered on him and is still being used as evidence.
Cellphone messages between Moyo and Mazarire discussing ways to block investigations were also retrieved.
Earlier this year, another police officer based in Kafusi, Constable Wilson Mutazwa was jailed for 18 years together with an accomplice after they were convicted of stealing four head in similar fashion.
The cattle were slaughtered at Montana Abattoir in Bulawayo.
