Gweru cops in trouble for robbing a vendor

News
Two members of the Zimbabwe Republic Police in Gweru appeared in court last Friday facing charges of assaulting and robbing a female city vendor and her boyfriend of over $1 000.

Two members of the Zimbabwe Republic Police in Gweru appeared in court last Friday facing charges of assaulting and robbing a female city vendor and her boyfriend of over $1 000.

By Stephen Chadenga

Detective constables Fredrick Chiokoyo (30) and Tafadzwa Siwela (26) were remanded out of custody to June 3 for trial when they appeared before Gweru magistrate Mildred Matuvi.

Allegations were that on January 25 this year, Chiokoyo and Siwela went to Linda Kavhiza’s place of residence at around midnight where they robbed her of the money before assaulting her.

Prosecutor Andrew Marimo told the court that the police officers had received information from an unnamed informant that Kavhiza, a street vendor had received money from her gold panner boyfriend identified as Maxwell Ntini.

The State alleges that Chiokoyo and Siwela stormed Kavhiza’s residence and quizzed her over the money she had received from her boyfriend.

When Kavhiza professed ignorance of the said money, the two cops threatened to shoot her after warning her they were CID members.

Fearing for her life, Kavhiza took the police officers to her bedroom where they searched her wardrobe and took $500.

Siwela allegedly slapped Kavhiza three times on the face demanding more money before she gave him $300.

The following day, the suspects allegedly caught up with Ntini in Lower Gweru and pulled him out of his car and started kicking him in the stomach.

Chiokoyo took Ntini’s belt and tied both his hands before robbing him of $550. The two allegedly further demanded more cash and gold from Ntini.

The cops dumped Ntini at Mkoba 6 shopping centre and he later made a police report, leading to the pair’s arrest.