Two Zimbabwean detectives who were facing charges of theft and assaulting the wife of a man they suspected to have broken into a car belonging to a South African tourist were on Monday, fined Z$100 (revalued) or 30 days in prison.

Their accomplice, Detective Assistant Inspector Taurai Chiriya, who was based at the Bulawayo Central Police Station, committed suicide by hanging himself in June.

Vincent Gumbo and Boniface Mangoma, attached to the Theft Vehicle Section, pleaded not guilty to the charges, but were convicted by Bulawayo magistrate Miss Jacqueline Khupe at Western Commonage Magistrate’s Courts.

They were facing charges of theft of money amounting to US$3 000, digital cameras and assaulting the wife of a suspect.

The court heard that the trio was investigating a case of theft of fuel coupons and got wind that a man staying in Old Magwegwe suburb had bought fuel, using coupons. They proceeded to the house during the night and passed through Magwegwe Police Station where they got an escort of two members of the uniformed branch.

When they got to the house, they found the man away and they told his wife that she was under arrest and went on to search the house while their escorts remained seated in the sitting room.

The State proved that before they carried out the search, they assaulted the man’s wife before getting into the bedroom from where they took US$3 000 and four digital cameras, which were stolen from a South African tourist’s car. They went on to detain the woman in the police cells and only released her the following day after the intervention of some senior police officers.

When the husband came back, he surrendered himself to the police and was subsequently taken to court where the prosecution refused to place him on remand, due to lack of evidence.