Three Harare police officers find themselves at the center of a scandalous case involving an alleged break-in, theft, and a fiery cover-up. Stanley Musekiwa, a 46-year-old inspector and the Officer-in-Charge of CID Stores and Business Harare, along with his subordinates Takaidza Mugwisi (36) and Masimba Stanley Gwasunda (43), appeared before Harare magistrate Mrs Marehwanazvo Gofa to face charges of theft and malicious damage to property.
The State has vehemently opposed granting bail to the trio, citing fears that they may attempt to flee justice. And with the jaw-dropping details of the case, it’s no wonder the authorities are concerned.
According to the prosecution’s case, the alleged saga began on June 23 when Mugwisi recovered a staggering sum of US$40,500 from a certain Carlington Gengezha, who was accused of unlawful entry and theft in Belvedere, Harare. The cash, along with an additional US$5,000 from different cases, was entrusted to Musekiwa, who was responsible for its safekeeping as the Officer-in-Charge. However, instead of following protocol, Musekiwa and Gwasunda decided to take matters into their own hands.
In a sh0cking twist, the officers stashed the cash inside a four-plate stove oven drawer located in office 26 of CID Stores and Business Harare. This clandestine move would prove to be the catalyst for a night of deception and destruction.
On August 6, Mugwisi was assigned to night duty, tasked with securing the CID offices, including the exhibit room. Seizing the opportunity under the cover of darkness, around 1 am, the three officers allegedly took advantage of an electrical fault at Harare Central Police Station. They meticulously orchestrated a break-in, cutting the padlock keys securing the screen gate with a bolt cutter to create the illusion of forced entry.
While it is claimed that the trio actually possessed the keys to the office, they cunningly severed the screen gate to mask any suspicion surrounding their actions. Once inside, they targeted the four-plate stove’s oven drawer, which concealed the ill-gotten cash. In a brazen act, they made off with the money, which was stored in a bag. Additionally, there are indications that other unquantified exhibits may have also fallen victim to their alleged spree.
To further cover their tracks, the accused officers resorted to a drastic measure. They set the room ablaze, engulfing it in flames and wreaking havoc on the exhibits within. The destructive inferno not only consumed two four-plate stoves, a fridge, a bed, various clothing items, crates of beer, cell phones, television sets, radios, and gas tanks but also caused extensive damage to the building’s structure.
The true value of the incinerated exhibits and the extent of the structural harm is yet to be determined, leaving authorities and onlookers alike in awe of the audacity and recklessness displayed by the accused officers.
As the city awaits tomorrow’s bail ruling, the public is left stunned by this tale of betrayal, theft, and arson within the ranks of the very individuals entrusted with maintaining law and order. The outcome of this case will undoubtedly reverberate through the corridors of justice, as the alleged actions of these officers tarnish the reputation of the Harare police force.
