Former police officer, Tafadzwa Chidawa, widely known as Detective Kedha, has been acquitted of theft charges.
Chidawa, now a private investigator, and his co-accused—Paradza Passmore Matubu, Perseverance Chisango, Malvern Mutanda, and Francis Takura—were all found not guilty on Wednesday.
Chief Magistrate Vongai Guwuriro delivered the verdict, citing inconsistencies in the complainant’s testimony as the main reason for the dismissal.
The court struggled to believe the allegations against Chidawa and his associates after the complainant, Melody Matanhire, admitted to fabricating parts of her story.
It was alleged that Matanhire, who was married, had an affair with Mutanda, who claimed to have US$100,000 in soiled money that needed to be “cleaned.”
He said the process required US$20,000 in clean bills to mix with the soiled money and chemicals, and the person providing the clean bills would earn a commission upon completion.
The court heard that on August 27, 2020, Matanhire told Mutanda she had secured the US$20,000 and went with him to Blue Ridge Lodge to “clean” the money.
She allegedly took the cash from her home in Gen Lorne, Harare, unaware that Mutanda had conspired with Chidawa, Takura, Matubu, and Chisango to steal it.
At the lodge, Mutanda asked for the US$20,000, which Matanhire handed over, and he placed it in a cooler box for the cleaning process.
It was alleged that moments later, Chidawa and his group, posing as police officers, entered the lodge, assaulted Mutanda, and pretended to arrest him.
One of the gang members is said to have taken the cooler box, while the others escorted Matanhire, later releasing her.
Mutanda and his accomplices allegedly shared the stolen US$20,000. The crime was uncovered when Matanhire staged a robbery to cover up the loss to her husband.
Detectives from CID Homicide arrested Mutanda, leading to the recovery of property he had purchased with the stolen money.
However, in her ruling, Chief Magistrate Muchuchuti Guwuriro pointed out that Matanhire’s admission of lying to her husband about the robbery cast doubt on the credibility of the entire case. She stated:
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After her admission that she lied to her husband, it was hard for the court to believe if anything of that nature ever occurred.
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The inconsistencies in Matanhire’s testimony ultimately led to the acquittal of Detective Kedha and his co-accused.

Pindula News

Former police officer Detective Kedha and his friends were accused of stealing $20,000. But they were all found not guilty because the person who said they stole the money admitted she lied about some things. The lady who claimed her money was stolen actually gave it to one of the men to clean, but then the others pretended to be police and took the money. The lady lied to her husband to cover up the loss. Since she lied, the court didn't believe her and let Detective Kedha and his friends go free.

Detective Kedha And Accomplices Acquitted In US$20,000 Theft Case

Tafadzwa Chidawa, widely known as Detective Kedha, reportedly broke down in tears during a court session on Friday, prompting the magistrate to adjourn proceedings.
Chidawa, a former police officer who gained attention for his anti-crime activism on social media, was testifying in his own defence while on the witness stand.
He is currently held in remand prison after his bail was revoked due to his failure to attend court for over a year.
According to <a href="https://www.heraldonline.co.zw/detective-kedha-breaks-down-in-court/">HeraldOnline</a>, the emotional outburst led Chief Magistrate Vongai Muchuchuti Guwuriro to adjourn the case until today for continuation.
Chidawa faces charges alongside his alleged accomplices—Paradza Passmore Matubu, Perseverance Chisango, Malvern Mutanda, and Francis Takura. Mutanda and Takura are still at large.
The complainant in the case is Melody Matanhire.
In January 2024, Chidawa and his co-accused failed to appear in court after their application for discharge was rejected by Magistrate Guwuriro.
Their bail was subsequently cancelled, and Chidawa is scheduled to appear in court on Tuesday for the continuation of his trial.
Matanhire is accused of having an affair with Mutanda, who told her he had about US$100,000 in soiled money that needed cleaning.
He claimed the process would require US$20,000 in clean bills, which would be mixed with the soiled money and chemicals. The person who supplied the clean money would earn a commission upon successful completion.
On August 27, 2020, Matanhire told Mutanda she had secured the US$20,000 and accompanied him to Blue Ridge Lodge to “clean” the money.
She took the cash from her home in Gen Lorne, Harare, unaware that Mutanda had conspired with Chidawa, Takura, Matubu, and Chisango to steal it.
At the lodge, Mutanda asked for the US$20,000, which Matanhire handed over. He placed it in a cooler box for the cleaning process.
Moments later, Chidawa and his group, posing as police officers, entered the lodge and assaulted Mutanda, pretending to arrest him.
One of the gang members took the cooler box, and the others escorted Matanhire, later releasing her.
Mutanda and his accomplices shared the stolen US$20,000. The crime was uncovered when Matanhire staged a robbery to cover up the loss to her husband.
Detectives from CID Homicide arrested Mutanda, leading to the recovery of property he had purchased with the stolen money.

Detective Kedha cried in court during his trial. He is a former police officer known for his work against crime online. He is in prison now because he didn't go to court for a year. The case involves stealing money from a woman named Melody. Detective Kedha and his friends pretended to be police and stole money from Melody. They got caught, and Melody's husband found out. The trial will continue, and Detective Kedha will be in court again soon.

Detective Kedha Breaks Down In Court

Matrix Disciplinary and Training Centre says it is cooperating with the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) following the launch of an investigation to determine if its operations are within the legal boundaries.
This comes after the ZRP initiated an investigation into the emergence of “disciplinary camps” across the country last week. Matrix, led by Tafadzwa Chidawa, is one such camp that has come under scrutiny.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, January 8, Matrix said that it welcomed the ZRP investigation, viewing it as an opportunity to explore potential areas of collaboration with law enforcement agencies. The statement reads, in part:
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Matrix Disciplinary and Training Centre would like to address recent media reports regarding ongoing investigations by the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP).
We understand that these investigations may have raised concerns among the public, and we would like to assure the nation that we value our relationship with the government and its institutions.
The ongoing investigations into the Matrix Disciplinary Centre are not motivated by any animosity from the government.
Rather, their goal is to ensure that all institutions, including those working with the government, operate within the bounds of the law and uphold the highest standards of ethics and transparency.
We view these investigations as an opportunity to explore possible areas of collaboration and to demonstrate our commitment to transparency and accountability.
We are fully cooperating with the authorities and are confident that this process will ultimately strengthen our institution and the services we provide.
Matrix Disciplinary Centre remains dedicated to its mission of providing a safe and supportive environment for its students.
We are proud of our record of service to the community and look forward to continuing our work in partnership with government institutions and the public.
</blockquote>
Disciplinary camps are designed to address behavioural issues among young people, aiming to change their mindset and help them overcome risky behaviours such as disrespecting parents and teachers, bad attitudes, bullying, drug use, and other forms of indiscipline.
Participants often include teenagers facing challenges like drug use, theft, running away from home, and early engagement in sexual activities.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Matrix Disciplinary Centre is working with the police. The police are checking if what they do is legal. The police are checking many camps like Matrix. Matrix welcomes the investigation and wants to work with the police. They want to show they follow the law and are transparent. The camp helps young people with behavior problems. The young people may have issues like drugs, theft, or running away from home. Matrix wants to keep helping young people and work with the government. They want to show they are good at what they do.

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