Zimpapers Logo

Auxilia Katongomara Court Reporter
THE trial of a top Bulawayo detective, George Machinga started yesterday with the first state witness testifying.
Detective Chief Inspector Machinga, 44, the officer-in-charge of the Criminal Investigations Department Fraud Section, is facing extortion charges after allegedly demanding a $300 bribe from a city man.

Pardon Dube (age not given) said he met Machinga at his CID offices after a city woman reported him for allegedly misrepresenting himself as a laywer.

He told Bulawayo magistrate, Gladmore Mushowe the allegations arose after he was assisting one of his clients who had lost property to get it back.

“My organisation deals with drafting of court processes and general mediation between warring parties and I was approached by one Cordelia Bhatshisi to try and assist her get her property back. That is when I was approached by one Detective Sergeant Ncube who kept threatening to arrest me,” said Dube who runs Khayalami Heritage Community Development Trust. “We then went to meet Machinga and he confirmed that Ncube wanted to arrest me and proposed that I pay $300 and $250 to refund Batshisi.”

He said his friend, Butholezwe Gatsi, who introduced him to Machinga, kept phoning him enquiring if he had found the money to pay.

Dube said he met Machinga in the presence of Gatsi three times and on the day that he allegedly bribed the fraud boss, Gatsi was present although he did not know that he was setting a trap for him.

“On the day that Machinga was arrested I had handed over the $300 to Gatsi who passed it on to Machinga in his office and we left the office together. When I got downstairs I tipped the police officers who were part of the sting operation that I had given Machinga the bribe,” he said. Dube said he left Machinga’s office and went to sit in his car and was eventually called by the police officers and found them searching Machinga’s office for more than and hour but to avail.

Dube said at some point Machinga pleaded with them to be allowed to go and relieve himself.  He was accompanied by some police officers to the toilet and all others present were ordered to move out of the office and stand outside.

“After his return, the office was searched again, this time concentrating on the cabinets and the money was eventually recovered under two picture frames 30 minutes later,” Dube told the court.

Bulawayo lawyer, Mlamuli Ncube of Cheda and Partners who stood for Machinga asked why Dube had given two conflicting statements to the police and why he had not mentioned Gatsi in his report to which he replied: “I didn’t want to mention him since he did not know that I was planning to expose Machinga and he was only a mediator in the issue.”

The defence also put it to Dube that the money could have been planted in Machinga’s office after he had gone to the toilet since the door to his office was not locked.

Prosecuting, Viviana Chikomo said on June 19 this year, Dube, received a call from a Det Sgt Ncube to come to the CID offices.

Dube, the court heard, had allegedly conned Bhatshisi of $250 after claiming to be a lawyer in a matter in which she needed legal representation.

After the call from Det Sgt Ncube, the court was told, Dube proceeded to the CID offices but chose not to look for Det Sgt Ncube but instead went to Machinga’s office to seek clarification on the alleged charge.

The court heard that Machinga advised Dube to look for $550 of which $300 was for buying his freedom, and $250 to refund Bhatshisi, who had reported him for fraud. Machinga then took Dube’s plastic identity card as surety that he would come back with the money, said the prosecutor. “The following day, Dube went around looking for $300 but felt the demand was too much and approached police commanders at ZRP provincial headquarters at Ross Camp where a plan to trap Machinga was hatched,” said Chikomo.

“Authority to set a trap on Machinga was granted and Dube’s notes amounting to $300 were photocopied and serial numbers recorded before he took them to Machinga as a bribe for his freedom.”

She said on the same day, at around 2.20PM, Dube proceeded to Machinga’s office where he handed him $300 and was given his identity card and left.

Chikomo said on his way out, Dube alerted a Chief Inspector Nsingo and his arrest team who rushed to Machinga’s office and conducted a search.

“After a thorough search, the $300 bribe money was found inside a steel cabinet under a picture frame and the denominations matched with the photocopied notes and serial numbers. Machinga was immediately arrested. The money was taken and will be used as an exhibit in court,” she said.

The trial continues on August 18.