Police Boss in Court Over Alleged Cover Up of Armed Robbery

A Zimbabwe Republic Police inspector has been arraigned before the Harare Magistrates court accused of obstructing an investigation into an alleged armed robbery involving a Chinese businessman and attempting to prevent him from pursuing his complaint.

Farai Gwamure (51) who is identified in court papers as the acting officer in charge of Borrowdale Police Station in Harare, was arrested on October 19

He faces charges of extortion, criminal abuse of duty as a public officer and defeating or obstructing the course of justice.

The allegations stem from a business dispute involving Feng Lin, a 38-year-old Chinese national living in Borrowdale West who had reportedly entered into an agreement with Nina Zheng to transport chrome from Zimbabwe to Mozambique.

The arrangement allegedly collapsed after Zheng offloaded the chrome in Mutare instead of Mozambique and demanded a refund of US$13 050.

Court papers allege that on 13 October, Zheng and Gwamure’s alleged accomplices went to Lin’s home armed with a Mossberg shotgun and demanded money.

They allegedly threatened and assaulted Lin, handcuffed him and searched his home before forcing him to transfer US$13 050 into Zheng’s bank account.

After the incident, Lin reportedly lodged a complaint at Borrowdale Police Station where the case was assigned for investigation.

However, prosecutors allege that Gwamure attempted to prevent the complaint from being formally recorded and investigated.

Court papers state that the inspector initially turned Lin away promising to contact him later before summoning him to his office and handing him US$1 000 after taking US$900 from his pocket.

The court papers further allege that after the complaint was eventually recorded on 15 October, Gwamure conspired with another accused person to falsify an entry in the station’s Reports Received Book to conceal evidence relating to the case.

Magistrate Marehwanazvo Gofa granted Gwamure US$200 bail and will return to court on November 4 pending finalisation of the investigations.