A senior police detective based in Gweru was on Friday last week arrested on allegations of criminal abuse of duty as a public officer after he released a vehicle suspected to have been stolen in South Africa without following due process.
Detective Inspector Leonard Gwandu, who is the Gweru officer-in-charge Criminal Investigation Department (CID), appeared before Gweru magistrate Tavengwa Sangster on Saturday and was remanded on $1 000 bail to January 17.
Det Insp Gwandu allegedly released a Toyota Hilux Raider to businessman Shepherd Tundiya, who had been arrested in October after he was caught driving the vehicle suspected to have been stolen from South Africa. The vehicle had no number plates.
Even though Tundiya was later acquitted on charges of theft of a motor vehicle on December 13 2019, no order was made as to the disposal of the vehicle.
However, the following day, (December 14), Gwandu released the vehicle which South African Police Service (SAPS) officers were coming to identify.