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Timoth Makohliso Midlands Reporter
A POLICE officer based at Maboleni Base in Lower Gweru has been playing rich at the local business centre drinking beer regularly using money paid as fines by suspects. Constable Ishmael Dzimbanhete Munyanyiwa, 35, of ZRP Maboleni, was fined $50 (or 30 days) by Gweru magistrate Vimbai Makora. The police constable who was facing two counts of theft was partially relieved when Makora acquitted him on the other charge.

For the state, Andrew Marimo told the court that on June 20 at around 8AM, Munyanyiwa was handed over the charge office with all the station equipment and assets by Constable Bernard Mujaji who was knocking off.

Marimo said among the assets handed over to Munyanyiwa was a recording book, Z69 (J) and $20 cash which was supposed to be handed to the administration office for banking.

Marimo said Munyanyiwa kept the money to himself.
The court heard that Cst Munyanyiwa went  parting with the state’s money.

Marimo said the matter then came to light on June 23 when a Sergeant Maramwidze  audited the Z69 book where the money collected is recorded.
It was discovered that the money was missing.

The court heard that Sergeant Maramwidze instituted an inquiry into the movement of the said money and found out that Cst Munyanyiwa was the last person to have handled it.

Marimo said Cst Munyanyiwa was informed of the missing money and he admitted to have taken the money and requested for time to look for it so that he could replace it, which he eventually did.