HARARE – A police officer transferred to four police stations inside a year has won a protection order against a police chief.
Assistant Inspector Mutindi told a Harare court that the transfers were calculated harassment by Assistant Commissioner Clever Macheka to drive him to quit the force after he exposed police corruption.
On Wednesday, Justice Benjamin Chikowero granted Mutindi a protection order after hearing tales of systematic harassment, starting from when he was transferred from Hatfield Police Station 13 months ago.
Mutindi cited the Chief Staff Officer Human Resources (PGHQ) and Commissioner General of Police Godwin Matanga in his application.
“My question is how many police officers are being abused but are silent for fear of victimisation and how are we going to curb corruption when senior officers are sending members to get money for their benefit? This is typical of the old dispensation,” Mutindi said.
“Surely even if Assistant Commissioner Macheka would want to extort money from members, can someone transfer a member to four stations within 13 months? It is glaringly clear that he is abusing his office for selfish reasons and if left unchallenged, he will abuse more and corruption will be perpetrated infinitely.”
Justice Chikowero heard the matter on Wednesday and upheld Mutindi’s application before he slapped the Chief Staff Officer Human Resources (PGHQ) with costs.
Mutindi had submitted through his lawyer, Norman Mugiya, that his transfers were meant to induce him to resign because he had refused to be part of a corrupt police force.
“The four transfers of the applicant (Mutindi) at the instance of the first respondent (Chief Staff Officer Human Resources (PGHQ)) be and is hereby declared to be unlawful and wrongful and accordingly set aside,” Justice Chikowero ruled.
“The first respondent is ordered to allow the applicant to remain stationed at ZRP Chitungwiza until and unless a transfer is to be initiated in terms of the law and a proper notice and the provision of all payable allowances is made. The first respondent is ordered to pay costs.”
Court papers show that Mutindi was initially stationed at Hatfield Police Station, transferred to St Mary’s and hardly four months later, was moved to ZRP Chitungwiza and later to Waterfalls Police Station without any reasons.
Mutindi said he discovered that Macheka instigated the dizzying transfers after he refused to be pressured to comply with his unlawful demands of extorting accused persons at ZRP St Mary’s, and give him cash in order to buy favour with him.
“When I refused to cooperate with the said Assistant Commissioner Macheka, he told me that I will pay for it and he will not rest until I am transferred to a fixing station or to be frustrated until I leave the organisation. I refused to budge hence the reason why I am now suffering.”
He said when he refused to do what is clearly unlawful, Macheka then decided to use his influence to fix him.
“Consistent with his promise to fix me, I was transferred from ZRP St Mary’s to ZRP Chitungwiza Administration within two weeks and he told Chief Inspector Mutabvuka never to allow me anywhere near the crime division.”
