A law officer Henry Mugove Muringani has been imprisoned for 12 years on allegations of facilitating the release of four inmates.

The four were facing serious offences through preparing bails on their behalf.

Muringani was hit with a five year-jail term for each of the four counts of criminal abuse of office as a public officer.

Harare Regional Magistrate Marehwanazvo Gofa suspended eight years of the whole jail term for five years on condition that Muringani will not be convicted of any offence invloving dishonesty.

He will spend 12 years behind bars.

In Zimbabwe, an accused person must be refused bail if there is an ‘unacceptable risk’ that, if granted bail, they will fail to appear, commit an offence, endanger the safety or welfare of any person or obstruct the course of justice or interfere with a witness.