POLICE have arrested 88 touts in and around Harare under an operation code-named No To Touts which began on Monday as a way of reducing cases of passengers being robbed.
Report by Feluna Nleya
Harare provincial police spokesperson Inspector Tadius Chibanda said they would continue to arrest touts until sanity prevailed in the capital.
“We arrested 35 touts on Monday at Mbudzi roundabout,” Chibanda said. “Thirteen of the 35 touts paid fines while others will go to court. They were arrested under Operation No To Touts which started on Monday.” He said in Harare central police district, 53 touts were rounded up on Tuesday. “The motive of the operation is to get rid of the touts who we realised have come back and are causing confusion,” Chibanda said. “The rise of robberies involving commuter omnibuses and private vehicles is what has made us reintroduce the operation and see if they are not involved with the robbers.” Meanwhile, Chibanda said police were investigating a case of robbery and rape involving a 34-year-old woman from Sunningdale 2 on Monday. It is alleged that the victim boarded a white commuter omnibus at around 2300 hours at the corner of Julius Nyerere Way and Robson Manyika Avenue intending to go to her residence. The kombi had three male adults and one female adult.
As they were on their way along Seke Road, the driver refused to stop where the complainant wanted to drop off at St Martins and drove on until they turned into Eyestone Farm near Chinhamo Service Station.
She was robbed of her cellphone and $90, and one of the accused persons raped her twice and dumped her there.
“We urge people to go to designated places for transport because areas like these are where we find the commuter omnibuses and private vehicles which rob people and we also urge people not to travel at night,” Chibanda said.
