By A Correspondent- Police in Bulawayo at the weekend rounded up 300 people at different shebeens and arrested them for defying lockdown regulations.

Bulawayo provincial spokesperson, Inspector Abednico Ncube confirmed the arrests.

“During the weekend, a total of 274 people were arrested in connection with alcohol-related cases. That is operating shebeens, bottle stores and public drinking, contravening Covid-19 regulations. Quite several people were arrested for improper use of facemasks, but of note was the raids of shebeens in Nkulumane and other suburbs,” said Inspector Ncube.

“What we do is confiscate the beer and the equipment that is used. Repeat offenders are taken to court. We are foreseeing shortly that there will be custodial sentences for those who are continuously breaking the law,” said Inspector Ncube.

He said the public must report to the police, any shebeens and nightspots that are operating against lockdown regulations.

“We still urge people to comply with the law and desist from operating shebeens. Apart from contravening Covid-19 regulations, the operation of shebeens is illegal in terms of the law. They are also seen as a hive of activity where criminals thrive, where they waylay their victims. We also ask the members of the public to continue to report these people who operate illegally,” said Inspector Ncube.