Own Correspondent|Latest revelations from within the Zimbabwe Republic Police indicate that some members of the police force are among 2 852 people who have been arrested for illegal gold mining or being part of the machete wielding gangs.

The shocking information was made public by police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi while speaking on the sidelines of a media training on community reporting organised by the Zimbabwe Union of Journalists (ZUJ) in Harare on Wednesday.

“We have had arrests in Jumbo, Mazowe and Shamva of illegal artisanal miners. I admit we have arrested (police) officers at Jumbo, the law will take its course,” said Nyathi.

“The Home Affairs Minister has said it before and I repeat – if there is a police officer who is involved in mining activities, they must stop because they will be arrested and eventually lose their jobs.”

Indications are that uniformed forces from the correctional services officers and army have also suffered the same fate. Nyathi however refused to commit himself on the arrests of members of the military or Prison Service.

“I cannot comment on behalf of the Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) and Prisons, you will have to call them respectively.”

The machete wielding thugs have been terrorising innocent citizens in mining communities and surrounding towns where they have robbed, maimed, raped and killed for gold claims, gold ore and money.

13 police officers, including a chaplain, were early this week arrested after allegedly trying to extort cash from illegal miners they had been sent to arrest in Chakari, Mashonaland West.