Two members of the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) who were caught on video allegedly accepting a bribe and unlawfully releasing a suspect during a routine patrol in central Harare, were on Wednesday, remanded in custody to 28 April.
Rudo Chirengendure (28) and Nyasha Michael Mupandira (34) appeared before the Harare Magistrates’ Court facing charges of criminal abuse of duty as public officers, in terms of Section 174(1)(a) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act [Chapter 9:23].
The incident took place on 18 April 2025, while the officers were deployed to Parkade rank, at the busy intersection of Nelson Mandela Avenue and Rezende Street, as part of an operation targeting illegal money changers, touts, and unlicensed vendors.
However, instead of enforcing the law, the two officers were allegedly filmed receiving what appeared to be an illicit payment from a member of the public.
The footage, now widely circulated on social media, also shows the officers removing handcuffs from a female suspect before releasing her without following legal procedure.
Prosecutors argue that the officers’ conduct represents a serious breach of public trust and a clear violation of their sworn duties.
The State opposed bail and requested that both accused be remanded in custody to allow for further investigation. The matter was postponed to 28 April for a bail hearing.
Matengu Mutinya Nguwodzeuswa · 1 week ago
✨ *🇿🇼 Top CIO Agent & Mugabe Era Chief Abductor Dies*
By Political Reporter- A senior Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) operative long linked to the abductions of political activists during the late President Robert Mugabe’s regime, Walter Basopo, has died.
Basopo, believed to be a close relative of President Emmerson Mnangagwa, reportedly passed away at a hospital in Chinhoyi on Tuesday, according to family sources.
Mourners were seen heading to his home in Chinhoyi on Tuesday evening following the announcement of his death.
Basopo’s name has surfaced multiple times in connection with the 2015 disappearance of pro-democracy activist and journalist Itai Dzamara, who was abducted in broad daylight by suspected state agents in Harare’s Glen View suburb.
Dzamara had become a prominent critic of Mugabe’s government through his “Occupy Africa Unity Square” campaign, where he regularly held solo protests demanding Mugabe’s resignation.
In the weeks leading up to his disappearance, Dzamara had received numerous threats from state security agents and was frequently arrested or assaulted by police.
On March 9, 2015, he was forcibly taken by five men who accused him of stealing cattle, bundled into an unmarked white truck, and never seen again.
His family, civil society, and international human rights groups have continuously called for justice, but the state has denied any involvement, offering no meaningful updates on the case for years.
Basopo was among the CIO agents whose names were repeatedly mentioned by insiders and human rights organisations as being part of the special operations team responsible for silencing dissenters during the Mugabe era.
His death adds a chilling layer of finality to the unresolved mystery of Dzamara’s fate.
In a twist of fate, Basopo died on the same day as Retired Brigadier General Victor Rungani, another of Mugabe’s key enforcers, whose death was also confirmed on Tuesday.
Rungani, originally from Bikita in Masvingo Province, was a senior member of the Joint Operations Command (JOC)—a shadowy structure composed of army, police, intelligence, and prison chiefs that coordinated ZANU PF’s security and political strategies.
During the violent and highly contested June 2008 presidential run-off, Rungani was reportedly tasked with overseeing operations in Mashonaland East, where widespread torture, beatings, and killings were unleashed on opposition supporters in what human rights groups called a “campaign of terror.”
The violence was so severe that opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai withdrew from the race, paving the way for Mugabe to claim a hollow victory.
Rungani’s death was announced by the Children of War Veterans Association (COZWVA), where his son, Hardlife Rungani, remains an active member.
Both Basopo and Rungani were emblematic of a generation of state security operatives and military commanders who operated with impunity, often targeting opposition voices and human rights activists under the guise of maintaining national security.
Their deaths mark the slow fading of Mugabe’s old guard, but the wounds they left—like the unresolved disappearance of Itai Dzamara—continue to haunt Zimbabwe’s journey toward justice and accountability.
God is not a respector of mortal man.
ZimEye
Ndimba · 1 week ago
Don't think kuti pane kana 1 ashinga kuverenga zvese izvi
Matengu Mutinya Nguwodzeuswa · 1 week ago
✨ Breaking News
*Popular Midlands Zanu PF Mbinga Dies*
Popular Zanu PF Midlands capital Mbinga Lazarus T. Chikadaya has died.
Chikadaya, who is known for supporting President Mnangagwa in Gweru, died early this morning in Harare.
He is widely known as the founder and managing director of Drawlink Civil Engineering and was hailed by the ZANU PF-controlled state media as a towering figure in the Midlands’ economic landscape.
Details surrounding the cause of his death are still emerging, but sources confirm he passed away peacefully in the capital.
Tributes have already begun to pour in on social media, with many describing him as a visionary leader, a generous “mbinga,” and a passionate patriot who always wore his heart—and often his scarf—for Zimbabwe.
Central Radio 95.8, which broke the news on their social media platforms, described him as “a trailblazer whose legacy in civil engineering will not be forgotten.”
Chikadaya’s larger-than-life presence, community contributions, and unmistakable laugh will be deeply missed. Plans for his funeral and memorial are expected to be announced soon. ZimEye
Me call show year new · 1 week ago
ngavafambe nguva ichipo hatichavada