Karoi Police Officer Jailed 30 Months After Swallowing Marked Cash

A police officer from Karoi has been sentenced to jail for extortion after a dramatic sting operation caught him red-handed. The officer’s desperate attempt to destroy the evidence by swallowing the marked banknotes failed to save him from a prison cell.

The case centred on Sergeant Paul Mutingoringo Dzimbanhete, a 32-year-old officer stationed at Karoi Urban Police Station. According to the National Prosecuting Authority of Zimbabwe, the crime unfolded over ten days in June 2025. The court heard how Dzimbanhete targeted a driver named Olly Mcupi.

The Sting Operation

The situation began when Dzimbanhete, while manning a roadblock on the Karoi-Nyamambisi Road between 3 and 13 June 2025, unlawfully confiscated Mcupi’s certificate of competency. He then allegedly demanded a payment of US$50 for its return. Mcupi’s father, Sebastian Kumbirai Chinyemba, decided to take action and reported the officer.

An Internal Investigations team from the Police General Headquarters was immediately deployed. They orchestrated a trap. Mcupi arranged to meet the sergeant at the TM Supermarket in Karoi to make the payment. The officer arrived in a Toyota Gaia vehicle with the registration ADX 8251.

The National Prosecuting Authority of Zimbabwe stated, “Mcupi arranged to meet the offender at TM Supermarket, Karoi, where the officer handed back the confiscated certificate in exchange for cash while seated in a Toyota Gaia (ADX 8251). The internal investigations team moved in immediately — capturing the transaction on video.”

Swallowing The Evidence

What happened next was a scene straight out of a crime thriller. As the officers moved in to arrest him, Sergeant Dzimbanhete made a desperate bid to destroy the proof. He swallowed the marked US$50 note he had just received.

This shocking act was not enough to evade justice. The arresting officers proceeded to search him. During the search, they recovered other items that further implicated him.

The authority’s bulletin detailed the findings, noting officers recovered “US$3, ZIG10 cash, and a notebook (ZRP Book 6) showing that he had improperly recorded Mcupi’s arrest as ‘dangerous parking’.”

This false entry in the official police notebook suggested an attempt to create a legitimate reason for his interaction with Mcupi, a claim the court later dismissed.

The Court’s Verdict

The Karoi court found Sergeant Dzimbanhete guilty of extortion. He was also charged with criminal abuse of duty as a public officer. On 7 October 2025, the magistrate handed down the sentence.

The officer was sentenced to 36 months in prison. However, 6 months of that sentence were suspended for a period of five years on condition of good behaviour. This leaves him with an effective prison term of 30 months.

The National Prosecuting Authority of Zimbabwe used the case to send a strong message about conduct within the police force. Their official bulletin concluded with a firm statement on the standards expected from those in uniform.

“Law enforcement officers must uphold the highest standards of integrity,” the authority stated. “Every officer is expected to serve with honour, professionalism, and respect for the law.”