Police target judiciary services in forgery case

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POLICE in Bulawayo have widened their net into the judiciary service in an effort to weed out possible suspects that could have worked in cahoots with a lawyer and senior prisons official to fraudulently release a serving prisoner.

POLICE in Bulawayo have widened their net into the judiciary service in an effort to weed out possible suspects that could have worked in cahoots with a lawyer and senior prisons official to fraudulently release a serving prisoner. Richard Muponde Senior Court Reporter

Tungamirai Nyengera and his co-accused, an officer-in-charge at Khami Maximum Prison, Absolom Hlupho, are accused of forging a warrant of liberation for a convict, Lungisani Sibanda, from Khami Maximum Prison.

“The investigations have been widened into the judiciary,” a source in the judiciary said.

“There is strong suspicion that Nyengera was not working alone, but with a syndicate.

“Questions have been raised around the issue of date stamps similar to those from the judiciary offices.

“The police want to get to the bottom of the matter. They want to do a thorough job and close all loopholes.”

The source said if it was proved that there were judiciary officers involved, then there were likely to be more arrests.

However, a senior judiciary officer who cannot be named as he is not allowed to speak to the press, said judiciary officers were only questioned as witnesses.

“Police are bound to investigate the matter in the judiciary since you are aware that the date stamps used were similar to those of the judiciary,” he explained.

“If you read the facts properly, you will see that there is a purported bail pending appeal application having been made, which gave rise to the fake warrant of liberation.

“It’s natural that the police would ask for the records to verify things, not to say that they are investigating judiciary officers.”

Nyengera and Hlupho will face trial today and five witnesses have been advised to attend. The two have been languishing in remand prison after Bulawayo judge Justice Martin Makonese denied them bail last week.