THE High Court has dismissed an application by two female police detectives based in Bulawayo who were challenging their superiors’ decision to move them to other stations.
The two cops, only identified as Detective Sergeant Moyo and Detective Constable Gambiza, are part of a group of police officers who were recently redeployed.
The two who were stationed in Bulawayo, have been moved to stations in Manicaland and Mashonaland Central provinces respectively.
Det Sgt Moyo was moved from Bulawayo’s CID Drugs to Hillside Police Station in the CID section. She is now being transferred to Muzokomba Police Station in Manicaland.
The ruling by Justice Evangelista Kabasa follows an urgent chamber application filed at the Bulawayo High Court by Det Sgt Moyo and Det Const Gambiza, through their lawyers Mugiya and Macharaga Law Chambers, challenging the latest transfers.
“This matter is not urgent. Courts must be slow to interfere with administrative decisions more so on an urgent basis. The matter should join the normal roll and accordingly, it is removed from the roll of urgent matters,” ruled Justice Kabasa.
In papers before the court, Police Commissioner-General Godwin Matanga, Chief Staff Officer Human Resources and one Chief Superintendent Mashonganyika, who is the commander of the CID Drugs in Bulawayo, were cited as respondents.
In their founding affidavits, Det Sgt Moyo and Det Const Gambiza said their transfers to two different stations within a period of one month and without any valid reason was a violation of their constitutional right.
“I am a police officer under the command of the second respondent (Supt Mashonganyika) and was stationed at CID Drugs in Bulawayo before I was transferred to CID Hillside in Bulawayo on November 5, 2019. On November 6, I was shocked when I got transferred to ZRP Muzokomba,” said Det Sgt Moyo.
“There are now two transfers from the same authority moving me to two different stations and what prompted me to file this application on urgent basis is that on December 8, I was told by my officer in charge at CID Hillside to go to ZRP Muzokomba, but failed to get reasons. Why am I being transferred hardly a day after the first transfer?”
The two detectives said they were being forced to comply with the order despite the fact that there are no transport arrangements made.
Det Sgt Moyo said her case was special in that she was solely taking care of her minor children since her husband, Proud Moyo, is serving 18 years at Khami Prison for murder.
“I wrote a letter to the respondents explaining my predicament but the respondents ignored it. I am the sole guardian of my minor children and I have already enrolled them at local schools but the respondents simply ignored me,” she said.
Det Sgt Moyo said she has an obligation to supply medication to her husband hence the need to be closer to him.
She said she was being “fixed” by her superiors for no apparent reason.
“I will suffer a lot of prejudice if I am to go to ZRP Muzokomba as it will involve a lot of costs including but not limited to buying new uniforms for children who will be transferring with me as well as travelling costs of visiting my ailing husband at Khami Prisons,” said Det Sgt Moyo.
Det Const Gambiza was transferred from Nkulumane Police Station to Muzarabani on November 6.
She said she first received a radio signal transferring her from Magwegwe to CID Nkulumane and two days later she got another transferring her to Muzarabani.-@mashnets
