Former Assistant Inspector Who Declared Himself Police Chief Acquitted Due To Mental Illness

A former police officer who declared himself the new Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) Commissioner-General in viral social media videos in 2025 has been acquitted, after a court ruled he was mentally ill at the time.

Simbarashe Mandizvidza, 35, faced charges of causing disaffection within the police force, fraudulently obtaining a police vehicle, and transmitting harmful false information.

However, Harare provincial magistrate Artwell Sanyatwe ruled that Mandizvidza was not criminally responsible for his actions.

The ruling followed assessments by two doctors who concluded he was suffering from a mental disorder during the incidents.

The court ordered that Mandizvidza be returned to Chikurubi Maximum Prison Psychiatric Hospital to continue treatment for his own safety and that of the public.

The prosecution stated that Mandizvidza, who was attached to the Salaries Services Bureau Liaison Office at Police General Headquarters, filmed a video at his home in Hatfield Police Camp using a Canon 250D camera.

In the footage, he proclaimed himself the country’s new police chief, announced the immediate suspension of all traffic police operations, and ordered Chinese nationals and business owners to leave the country within 48 hours.

The video was uploaded to a YouTube channel named Gondo Harishaye and quickly spread across social media, causing widespread confusion.

The state argued that the footage was designed to sow division within the force, trigger panic among foreign nationals, and damage Zimbabwe’s economy and international image.

Investigators also revealed that on the same day, Mandizvidza approached Chief Inspector Fidios Chiteure at Police General Headquarters.

He falsely claimed he had been authorised by a Commissioner Makomo to use a police Ford Ranger for official errands. Believing the story, the officer approved the vehicle’s release.

Mandizvidza then drove the truck to Waerera Village in Bindura, under Chief Masembura’s area, where authorities later recovered it.

The court heard that he subsequently released a second video repeating his claims, despite Commissioner-General Stephen Mutamba remaining the legitimate head of the Zimbabwe Republic Police.

Prosecutors argued that these repeated broadcasts violated laws governing communication systems and further undermined confidence within the security services.

Mandizvidza, who held the rank of Assistant Inspector, was discharged from the ZRP in December 2025 after he was found to have behaved improperly and acted in an unbecoming manner.