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Andile Tshuma, Court Reporter
TWO police officers who were arrested for soliciting a bribe from a man and allegedly later went to his home where they threatened to kill him if he testified in court, have been acquitted.

Malvin Ndlovu (36) and Trymore Gore (34) yesterday appeared before Western Commonage magistrate Mr Stephen Ndlovu charged with extortion and criminal abuse of office.

Delivering his verdict, Magistrate Ndhlovu cited lack of credible evidence as a state witness had lied under oath about his identity.

The State witness said he was Claudius Chauke but his real name is Claudius Manamela.

“How then can this court rely on his testimony since he lied under oath about his name and national registration particulars? The State witness is unreliable because he took an oath under a non-existent name,” said the magistrate.

“The State also failed to call other witnesses who saw the exchange of money, a Sibongile and a Bongiwe Ncube.

“It is therefore the ruling of this court that the testimony was unreliable and fatal. The accused persons are therefore found not guilty and acquitted.”

Manamela told the court that he was popularly known as Chauke as it is his totem and very few people addressed him as Manamela.

Ndlovu and four other alleged police officers armed with knives were accused of raiding the home of a State witness, Mr Mathias Moyo, in a bribery case and beat him up in an effort to stop him from testifying against them in court.

The cops, a court heard last month, allegedly threatened to kill Mr Moyo during the mafia-style attack at midnight. They allegedly told him that they were members of the Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO).

The cop gang allegedly advised Mr Moyo that it would be good for his well being if he kept away from the witness box. Although he insisted all five were policemen, only Malvin Ndlovu (36), an Assistant Inspector, admitted he was a police officer in court.

He appeared alongside an accomplice, another police officer, Trymore Gore (34), who allegedly demanded a bribe together with Ndlovu from Mr Chauke (Manamela) but did not go to threaten the witness at his home.

The cops were accused of demanding and getting $150 from the complainant to release him from police custody.

Ndlovu and Gore were represented by Mr James Dhliwayo of Pundu and Company Legal Practitioners.

@andile_tshuma