THE Vehicle Inspection Department (VID) senior officer Reuben Chigundura, who was on trial for accepting a bribe of $70 to release three impounded commuter omnibuses had charges against him withdrawn last Friday before plea due to lack of evidence.
BATANAI MUTASA OWN CORRESPONDENT
Chigundura was facing charges of contravening Section 174 1(a)(b) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act 9.23, criminal abuse of office as a public officer.
For the State, Denmore Kusenza had informed the court that on October 18, Johannes Siwela, a kombi owner, went to VID Bulawayo to facilitate the release of three of his Toyota Hiace commuter omnibuses that were impounded earlier that month for carrying passengers without operators’ licence and passenger insurance.
Chigundundura was remanded out of custody on $150 bail to November 28, when he submitted his defence.
The VID official said he had been implicated in the offence after he spotted an anomaly in the release forms of the three vehicles and initiated investigations which led him to Siwela.
“Siwela does not own the vehicles, but is a conman who loiters around the VID fence offering assistance to people who need to have their cars released,” he said in his defence.
“After confronting him, Siwela rushed to the police and framed me, which led to my arrest and detention.
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“The court released me on bail and I continued with investigations to clear my name,” Chigundura said.
Chigundura said he realised that Siwela had connived with a general hand at the VID offices and she had fraudulently stamped the release forms for the vehicles.
As a result of the revelations, Chigundura was acquitted.
However, Siwela and the general hand have not yet been formally charged.
The three vehicles had been reimpounded, but have since been released after proper procedure was followed.
