Roadblock Bribery Busted
14 January 2017
Spread the love

TWO police officers stationed at Mutare Traffic were last Thursday arrested by the force’s Anti-Corruption Unit together with an alleged civilian accomplice on allegations of receiving bribes from motorists amounting to more than $450.

To avoid detection as well as beat regular spot checks, the cops allegedly gave the roadblock loot to a kombi operator, who camped a few metres away from the block for safe-keeping.

The suspects – constables Murambiwa, whose Force Number is 985989B and Chagonda (986478H) – have since been taken to court on bribery charges.

The case will, however, proceed by way of summons as detectives need more time to gather evidence.

Manicaland provincial police spokesperson, Inspector Tavhiringwa Kakohwa, said he was yet to receive information on the case.

“I haven’t received anything concerning the case you are asking, but I will appraise you as soon as we get correspondence,” he said.

However, circumstances to the case are that on January 5 at around 8.30am, a provincial anti-corruption team headed by Superintendent Chikono, who is the Crime Prevention Officer for Manicaland Province, went to Fashu roadblock site along the Mutare-Chimanimani Highway.

They were investigating a tip-off to the effect that police officers manning the block were demanding and receiving bribes from motorists.

Other members of the team also included intelligence officers Chief Inspector Chimano, Assistant Inspector Muyambo and Constable Nhundu.

When they arrived at the roadblock site, the anti-corruption team spotted Ephrage Muererwa (32) of House Number 304 Area 14, Dangamvura, seated about 30 metres away from the block.

He is employed by Platonic Tours as a foreman. At that point, Asst Insp Muyambo and Const Nhundu confronted him and identified themselves as police officers.

The team questioned him on his purpose near the roadblock and he revealed that he arrived at the block at around 7.30am intending to pay $40 to the accused persons so that eight Platonic commuter omnibuses will have free passage at the block.

He allegedly told the team that he was subsequently engaged by the accused persons to collect bribe money from other operators on their behalf and he agreed. It is alleged that Cst Chagonda handed over an undisclosed amount of bribe money they had already collected to Ephrage who then sat on a rock collecting more money from the suspects.

After interrogating Ephrage, Asst Insp Muyambo and Cst Nhundu then approached the accused persons who produced only $30 as money they had collected from offending motorists as fines.

The two cops and their alleged accomplice were then taken to CID Mutare for further investigations.

Disciplinary charges will also be instituted against the two cops. – Manica Post

0 Replies to “Roadblock Bribery Busted”

  1. The same should be done to the Sanyati Police who station themselves along Jompani. They always keep a guy seated on a rock in the bush. They instract Kombi drivers to hand over money to the guy as bribe.