A magistrate from Gwanda, Talent Phiri, has been sentenced to an effective five years in prison after being found guilty of soliciting a US$3,000 bribe from a businessman, according to reports by B-Metro.
The trial took place at Tredgold Magistrates Court in Bulawayo, overseen by Harare regional magistrate Farai Gwitima after local magistrates recused themselves from the case.
Phiri, 35, who resides in Mount Cazalet suburb, denied the charge of criminal abuse of office but was convicted based on the evidence presented. He received a seven-year sentence, with two years suspended on the condition that he does not commit a similar offense within five years. Furthermore, he was ordered to repay the bribe money he accepted.
In his ruling, Gwitima emphasized the critical need to address the widespread issue of corruption in the country. He pointed out the judiciary’s responsibility to uphold public trust and set an example by holding its members accountable.
“The judiciary must maintain the highest standards of integrity,” Gwitima stated, adding that the severity of the offense outweighed any mitigating factors. He noted that the evidence against Phiri was strong, with witnesses providing compelling testimony and the accused being apprehended in the act.
Phiri’s defense lawyer, Prince Butshe Dube of Mathonsi Ncube Law Chambers, pleaded for leniency, highlighting that Phiri was a first-time offender, had lost his job, and was the sole provider for his wife and three children.
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Prosecutor Acumen Khupe detailed the sequence of events leading to the offense. On August 27, 2024, Phiri issued an interim protection order against a man, Lungisani “Two Minutes” Ncube, in favor of his former wife, Qiniso Ncube. A warrant of arrest for Lungisani Ncube was attached to the order.
On September 4, Phiri contacted Lungisani Ncube, claiming he wanted to assist with the domestic violence case. He falsely asserted that members of the President’s Office, the police, and the National Prosecuting Authority were involved and demanded a US$3,000 bribe to keep him from being jailed.
Although Lungisani Ncube initially agreed to try to raise the money, he later informed the police and provided them with recordings of his conversations with Phiri. The bribe amount was eventually negotiated down to US$2,500.
The police set up a sting operation, and the following morning, Ncube delivered the agreed sum to Phiri’s residence. Phiri was caught red-handed with the trap money in his possession, concealed in his boxer shorts, and was promptly arrested.
In his final submissions, Khupe condemned Phiri’s actions, stating that they represented a grave abuse of his position as a judicial officer. Such behavior, he argued, undermines public confidence in the justice system and warrants a proportionate punishment.
