By A Correspondent | ZimEye | A private investigator and former police officer Tafadzwa Chidawa who was facing theft charges is finally free after he was acquitted by Harare magistrate Vongai Muchuchuti.

Chidawa was jointly charged with jointly charged with Paradza Passmore Matubu, Perseverance Chisango, Malvern Mutanda, and Francis Takura who were also acquitted.

Takura is however serving 36 years at Chikurubi Maximum prison dor another criminal offence.

Muchuchuti eqred the group of wrongdoing after a full trial rulimg that state’s evidence was too weak for a reasonable court to convict.

The magistrate also saod witnesses statements was marred with inconsistences and loopholes.

The group were accused of stealing US$20 000 from one Melody Matanhire.

It was state’s case that Matanhire was in a relationship with Mutanda.

Prosecutors were alleging that on an unknown date but in 2020, Matanhire told Mutanda that he had US$100 000 soiled money which needed some cleaning.

He allegedly told her that the process required US$20 000 clean notes.

“ On August 27 2020, pursuant to the misrepresentation advised Mutanda that she had managed to secure US$20 000, she then made arrangements with Mutanda to proceed to Blue Ridge lodge where they were going to clean the money.

“Unbeknown to her Mutanda hatched a plan with Chidawa, Takura, Paradzai Matubu and Perseverance Chisango to steal from Melody,” said the state.

The court heard that Matanharire handed over the money to Mutanda who then put it in a cooler box for the cleaning process to commence.

All other accomplices allegedly entered the lodge masquerading as police officers and manhandled Mutanda and took away the cooler box which had the money and they went away.

Takudzwa Jambawu prosecuted.