Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) Commissioner General Godwin Matanga has been taken to court by a junior female police detective who was last year dismissed from work on allegations of extorting US$2 250 from a Forex dealer.
The police boss is now being accused of disregarding a court order compelling him to reinstate the expelled detective Constable Petty Mlauzi who was attached to the Criminal Intelligence Unit Registry in Bulawayo, and could face up to 90 days imprisonment if he fails to honour the court order.
Mlauzi was discharged from the police last year but she then approached the High Court seeking an order staying her dismissal pending the finalisation of her application for review. Subsequently, Bulawayo High Court judge Justice Maxwell Takuva granted the order in Mlauzi’s favor and concurrently blocked the lady detective’s eviction from a ZRP house at the Western Commonage.
Last week, Mlauzi through her legal representatives, Mugiya and Macharaga Law Chambers, filed an application at the High Court, directing Matanga to comply with the order issued under case number HC1576/19. In the event that Matanga fails to honour the order of Mlauzi’s reinstatement, the police boss risks being jailed 90 days for contempt of court.
Matanga together with the chairperson of the Police Service Commission Dr Vincent Hungwe were cited as respondents in papers before the courts.
In her founding affidavit, Mlauzi said she was tried by a single officer for violating the Police Act, convicted and sentenced to eight days’ imprisonment at the detention barracks.Dissatisfied with the conviction and sentence, she appealed to Comm-Gen Matanga and the appeal was dismissed.
Argued Mlauzi:
“I filed an application for review under case number HC7003/18 querying the decision of the first respondent (Comm-Gen Matanga) to dismiss my appeal on a technicality against the settled principle that labour matters must not be decided on technicalities.”
Mlauzi then filed an urgent chamber application following a radio signal discharging her despite a pending review matter before the High Court and the respondents were ordered to immediately reinstate her.
“My discharge was stayed pending finalisation of case number HC7003/18 and the order was served on the respondents’ lawyers and a return of service was issued. However, to date the respondents have failed, refused or neglected to reinstate me into the Police Service Commission in flagrant contempt of an order of this honourable court,” she said.
Mlauzi said the respondents were deliberately ignoring the court order directing them to reinstate her.
State Media
