A police officer who went viral recently after he claimed that he is the new boss of the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) has been denied bail by Harare magistrate Vakayi Chikwekwe.

Simbarashe Mandizvidza, who also demanded that all Chinese people be expelled from Zimbabwe, was denied bail after he was deemed a flight risk and likely to interfere with his colleagues who are also State witnesses.

Since he faces a likely jail sentence if convicted of breaching the Road Traffic Act, the court denied him bail, citing the high risk that he would abscond.

The matter was remanded to September 5.

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Mandizvidza is accused of transmitting false information with the intent to cause harm, breaching the Road Traffic Act, and causing disaffection among police or defense forces.

In a video that went viral on social media, Mandizvidza claimed to have taken command of the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP), temporarily disbanded the ZRP's Traffic section, and demanded that all Chinese nationals in the country leave within 48 hours.

From his official residence at ZRP Hatfield Police Camp, Mandizvidza recorded the video using his own Canon 250D Camera, a broadcast that was designed to cause disaffection among police members and inflict psychological and economic harm by distributing false information to foreign nationals and the Republic of Zimbabwe.

The State further alleges that Mandizvidza fraudulently obtained a police Ford Ranger from his boss, Fidios Chiteure, by falsely claiming he was running errands for Commissioner Makomo and he then drove the vehicle to Waerera village in Bindura where it was later recovered.