KWEKWE — Tainted with the tag of most corrupt police force in Southern Africa, the Zimbabwe Republic Police is battling to discipline six of its officers nabbed at a roadblock on allegations of corruption.
REPORT BY BLESSED MHLANGA STAFF REPORTER
The police officers stationed at Redcliff traffic section, who were arrested in August at a roadblock on allegations of corruption, face an uncertain future owing to the failure by the police to open disciplinary hearings four months down the line.
Constable Luka Moyo (039736Q), Cst Magunje (056154L), Cst Tizirayi (064326T) Cst Shambare (988122B), Cst Kasiya (073498B) and Sergeant Muponya (063732) were all arrested by the Anti-Corruption Commission members at a roadblock at Appleton along the Kwekwe —Gweru Highway. They allegedly had $91 excess cash which they failed to account for. According to an internal police charge sheet in possession of NewsDay, the police officers reportedly collected bribes from motorists, which they stashed in a plastic container and hid.
“They connived to solicit for bribes from passing motorists at the roadblock and hid the money in a plastic container which was discovered a metre away from them containing $91,” reads part of the charge sheet.
Lawyer Innocent Hore confirmed his clients were suspended from the force and were supposed to appear before a disciplinary hearing in Gweru. But on three occasions, the police failed to conduct the hearings. Hore told NewsDay his clients were innocent and were eagerly waiting for the process to be concluded.
“The police have failed to open their hearings because they have no case against my clients. The commission picked a plastic container with money a metre away from a roadblock. What if that container did not belong to the police officers? It might have been left there by someone who is now looking for his/her container as we speak,” Hore said.
