In a bizarre turn of events, a Bulawayo traffic cop found himself at the center of a car smuggling scandal, only to be cleared of all charges. Constable Ngonidzashe Musiwa, a 32-year-old member of the ZRP Bulawayo Central Traffic, was arrested after being caught driving a blue Honda Fit with suspicious plates. However, it was later discovered that Musiwa was not the mastermind behind the smuggling operation.
The drama unfolded on June 27 when Musiwa was flagged down at a police roadblock along the Plumtree-Bulawayo Road. Officers noticed that the vehicle had no rear number plate, and a background check revealed that the front plate belonged to a different Honda Fit. An investigation ensued, and Musiwa was arrested and charged with smuggling the vehicle into the country.
But, in a surprising twist, prosecutors dropped the charges against Musiwa before plea, revealing that he was not the one who had smuggled the car into Zimbabwe. The actual culprit, 37-year-old Gift Andrew Chaima, later appeared in court and confessed to the crime. Chaima admitted to sneaking the car into Zimbabwe from Botswana through the Dombodema bush and affixing it with a fake number plate.
Chaima was slapped with a US$350 fine or four months in jail, two of which were suspended for five years. He was also ordered to pay the outstanding customs duty of over US$1,200 and ZIG 33,231.17 by September 30 or face six more months behind bars. The blue Honda Fit, valued at US$2,501.92, was seized by Zimra.
Musiwa, on the other hand, is back at work with his record cleared. A fellow officer quipped, “Even cops can get caught in the wrong car at the wrong time. Luckily for him, the truth came out.” The case highlights the importance of thorough investigations and the need for accuracy in charging suspects.
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