Magistrate and Prison Officer Arrested for Alleged Abuse of Duty

A Chinhoyi magistrate and a prison officer have been arrested and appeared in court on allegations of criminal abuse of duty. Kudzanai Mahaso (30) and Proud Nziramasanga (34) were granted US$200 bail and were ordered not to interfere with witnesses.

The two are accused of interfering in a gold mining case, including allegedly attempting to bribe a prosecutor and visiting the crime scene with a wanted suspect. Mahaso allegedly presided over a matter related to the contravention of Section 97 of the Environmental Management Act, and Nziramasanga allegedly attempted to bribe public prosecutor Mr. Brighton Machekera to alter the case's outcome.

The case involves Emmanuel Gudo and Constantine Gudo, who were accused of leaching for gold without an Environmental Impact Assessment Report. Mahaso acquitted Emmanuel Gudo on December 11, a decision that the State claims was inconsistent with their duties as public officers.