WHAT A DARING CHEEKY PRISON OFFICER
L Warden alters suspected armed robber’s medical records l Tries to portray him as a deaf person for him to avoid trial
A PRISON officer allegedly altered an audiology report to try and help a suspected armed robber to avoid trial under the pretext that he was deaf.
The officer, Takawira Taderera, and the inmate, Witness Nyarupa, appeared before Harare magistrate Munashe Chibanda, who remanded them in custody to today for their bail ruling.
Allegations are that on December 2, 2022, Nyarupa was arrested by CID Homicide on four counts of armed robbery.
He was remanded in custody pending finalisation of investigations.
The court heard that while he was in remand prison, trial proceedings were stalled because he indicated he had a hearing impairment.
Subsequently, the State applied for him to be examined by an audiologist.
On June 23 last year, Nyarupa was taken to Audiomax Clinic where he was examined by Dr Tsungirirai Marufu.
An audiological evaluation was conducted on him and the doctor compiled a report which concluded that the accused could hear normally using both ears.
The report was sent to the Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services
It is the State’s case that Nyarupa connived with Taderera, who allegedly intercepted the report, and made some alterations.
Taderera allegedly crafted another medical report which stated that Nyarupa couldn’t hear using both ears.
Taderera allegedly stamped the report using a ZPCS Harare Remand Clinic date stamp and took it to the Harare Magistrates’ Court for the attention of the court.
On January 17, the prosecutor subpoenaed the audiologist to explain and simplify some terms in the report.
When the audiologist went to court, she distanced herself from the report which had been tendered by ZPCS.
It became apparent from the proceedings that the report was fake and aimed at defeating the course of justice leading to the duo’s arrest.
Upon questioning, Nyarupa implicated Taderera saying the two connived to alter the report in a bid to evade trial together with Ignatius Bumhira, who is at large.
Prosecutor Takudzwa Jambawo opposed bail arguing that the duo is facing a serious offence which can prompt them to abscond.
Lawyers Joseph Nemaisa, Malvern Mapako and George Manokore, who represented Taderera, argued that the State doesn’t have a case against him because there’s no paper trail showing that he signed for the papers at prison.