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ZRP probes top cop for abuse of power

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THE Zimbabwe Republic Police is investigating allegations that one of its senior officers is demanding sex and cash of up to $1 000 or both to deploy traffic officers to lucrative routes

THE Zimbabwe Republic Police is investigating allegations that one of its senior officers is demanding sex and cash of up to $1 000 or both to deploy traffic officers to lucrative routes.

OWN CORRESPONDENT

According to an anonymous message doing the rounds on social media, a superintendent in charge of the national highway (name withheld) is also accused of having usurped the role of his subordinates to execute his plan.

Police spokesperson Charity Charamba
Police spokesperson Charity Charamba

“You may ask the police spokesperson, I am not allowed to speak to the media,” the officer said in a recent interview.

Police spokesperson, Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba confirmed the police were probing the allegations.

“We also saw that on social media and we have opened investigations,” she said.

The message, whose tone suggests it was directed to the officer, but went viral on social media, accuses the superintendent of demanding $1 000 to assign someone to the highway patrol fleet of Ford Fiestas, the latest police patrol car.

It suggests that the Bubi-to-Beitbridge stretch of the highway was the most lucrative and to get that assignment one allegedly pays the officer $1 000.

“I write this document giving you information about corruption, which is being done in this special police branch,” reads part of the document, whose author did not sign.

A similar amount is charged for a section of a road only described as Simon Mazorodze, Masvingo-Roy-Chiredzi, and the Harare to Nyamapanda highway, it is alleged.

“He is receiving $500 for Masvingo to Mutare,” alleges the message posted mostly to groups within the police force.

The superintendent allegedly assumed the duty to deploy after taking over the role from an Inspector Karonga, who had the responsibility.

“I won’t hate you (the officer) that’s the truth, you are receiving money, people are buying roads in your office,” the message by an anonymous complainant, who claims to having been permanently assigned to patrolling Harare streets on foot with spikes to throw at motor vehicles, said.

The top cop is also accused of unfairly dismissing some policemen in his section to create vacancies for his cronies he worked with in Masvingo.

The message also suggests that the officer had built a “mansion” in Bulawayo from corruptly acquired funds.

Other allegations are that if a fines target is not met, he sends officers back to work, even through the night.

The message also names a police constable, whose marriage broke down after Moyo allegedly proposed to his wife and bought her “a nice Honda Fit” car.