KWEKWE A senior police officer here has been suspended, following allegations that he raped a junior colleague early this year. Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) sources in the small Midlands town told ***The Zimbabwean that the Officer Commanding Kwekwe district, Chief Superintendent Phineas Muhedziwa, was suspended by police Commissioner-General Augustine Chihuri two weeks ago, pending trial for his alleged rape of a junior officer (name supplied) who was stationed at Redcliff police station.
The sources added that the Officer Commanding Midlands province, Senior Assistant Commissioner Esther Gezha, had transferred the complainant in the matter to a station in Bulawayo, where the trial will be held.
Richman Madiro has been appointed acting Officer Commanding Kwekwe.
Muhedziwa allegedly raped the junior female officer on two occasions early this year. The assaults occurred while she was still based in Redcliff, which falls under Kwekwe police district.
The complainant has been transferred to Bulawayo in a bid to facilitate the trial, which is being held there as the complainant wants to testify in her native Xhosa language, added the source. The other reason for her transfer is to ensure that Muhedziwa does not interfere with the complainant during the case.
According to police sources, Muhedziwa benefited from President Robert Mugabes politics of patronage. He was fast-tracked from the position of assistant inspector in Masvingo to his current rank without sitting for a single promotional examination.
Muhedziwa is said to have attained the rank of chief superintendent early this year, after acting like many other police superintendents– as a Zanu (PF) election agent during last years presidential run-off.
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