POLICE are still to pay $64 000 damages to a former detective, Bazil Nyapokoto three years after the High Court granted an order for payment of damages for victimisation after he testified against other detectives at an inquest.
Richard Muponde Senior Court Reporter
Nyapokoto was kicked out from his official residence at Ross Camp after testifying against his workmates at an inquest on the death of two armed robbery suspects.
The former detective’s lawyer, Tanaka Muganyi, yesterday confirmed the development.
“They have not paid the amount despite assurances that they will pay,” he said.
“I am going to check with them and see what progress is there.”
The latest development comes as Nyapokoto is pushing for a contempt of court charges at the Bulawayo High Court against Police Commissioner-General Augustine Chihuri and four of his subordinates.
In February 2013, Justice Maphios Cheda ordered Bulawayo police commander Senior Assistant Commissioner Steven Mutamba to arrest one of his lieutenants, Superintendent Pilate Moyo and deliver him to the nearest prison to serve 90 days for defying a court order instructing that his property be attached by the Deputy Sheriff for victimising Nyapokoto.
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Moyo defied an order by Justice Cheda in 2011 after he blocked the Deputy Sheriff from attaching his property to pay Nyapokoto the damages and an order for his incarceration was subsequently issued by the same judge.
Moyo had been sued by Nyapokoto for work-related victimisation.
However, Chihuri intervened and filed an application for rescission of judgment on March 6 2013 seeking to shield Moyo from contempt of court.
In January this year, Justice Martin Makonese ordered Chihuri to comply with the directive to pay the damages, but the top cop has defied the judge’s order.
Justice Makonese had dismissed with costs an application by Chihuri to rescind the judgment.
Chihuri conceded that the force would pay $64 000 in damages to Nyapokoto.
Police agreed to pay the amount within two months, but Chihuri made an about turn and filed an application for rescission of the judgment.
The application for rescission was out of time and was accompanied by another application for condonation of late filing, which Justice Makonese dismissed with costs.
Justice Makonese ordered the police to pay Nyapokoto damages, putting closure to a case that had been in court for three years.
