‘Detective Kedha’ faces fresh charges

THE ex-cop famously known as Detective Kedha on social media has appeared in court for allegedly pretending to be a police officer and beating up a woman with a baton when she refused to get into his car.

Tafadzwa Chidawa (35) appeared before Harare magistrate Mrs Fadzai Mthombeni charged with impersonation of a police officer and assault.

He was granted $100 bail and remanded to March 27.

Chidawa, using the identity Detective Kedha, is popular for viral videos in which he targets and “apprehends” thieves in central Harare.

State prosecutor Mr Ephraim Zinyandu told the court that on Tuesday last week, Chidawa and five others still at large contacted Ms Sallom Gandiya purporting to be a cousin of her boyfriend.

The gang invited Ms Gandiya to meet them at Caledon shops along Seke Road and she hired a taxi driven by Watson Gatsi, who is the second complainant.

Upon arrival at Caledon shops, the two were approached by Chidawa and his gang who introduced themselves as police detectives from Harare Central Police Station and told them they were under arrest.

They pointed to Ms Gandiya alleging that she was lying to her boyfriend that she was pregnant. The fake police officers went on to put her in some handcuffs.

Ms Gandiya refused to enter their vehicle and the gang started assaulting her with a baton on her back. They forced her into their Toyota Prado.

On release, the two reported the assault to the police, leading to Chidawa’s arrest.

In January, Chidawa appeared in court for allegedly stealing a vehicle worth US$12 000 from South Africa and smuggling it into Zimbabwe.

That case is still pending as are two fraud cases.