300 traffic cops fired for corruption

HARARE – At least 300 traffic police officers were sacked for corruption in 2014, and authorities have ordered a new computerised system to monitor all happenings at police roadblocks.

The cops were found guilty – among other breaches of the ZRP Charter – of receiving bribes from motorists who had fallen foul of road regulations. Some of them are said to have mounted unapproved roadblocks to demand bribes from errant motorists.

Crack teams assembled to fight graft in the force spearheaded the sting on their rogue peers. The proposed new computer system will function in pretty much the same way tollgates on Zimbabwe’s highways are centrally monitored.

Video cameras will be installed at strategic points to feed images to a central server where authorities can view footage. A pilot project was commissioned in Harare last Thursday.

Home Affairs Minister Dr Ignatius Chombo said:

“We have always said corruption cannot be tolerated and perpetrators will be arrested, and corrupt police officers will be dismissed from the force. In 2014, at least 300 police officers were dismissed for receiving bribes, among other corrupt activities.

“We must admit that we need to computerise the traffic management system and that process is underway. It will enable us to monitor all roadblocks from a central server and plug the operations of rogue elements.”

Ironically Chombo’s massive wealth has been the subject of much media scrutiny with calls for the Minister to be investigated.

As previously reported by Nehanda Radio, Chombo’s wealth was exposed in 2010 during a messy divorce involving his wife of 25 years, Marian. Court documents exposed the fact that Chombo, a former teacher, had tentacles in virtually all sectors of the economy.

The minister has interests in several farms, mines, hunting safari lodges in Chiredzi, Hwange, Magunje and Chirundu, as well as properties in South Africa.

Local properties included 75 residential and commercial stands plus 14 houses and 5 flats, all dotted around the country. Not to mention 15 vehicles.

When a probe team of Harare City Councillors produced a report implicating Chombo and businessman Philip Chiyangwa in the illegal acquisition of council land on the cheap, the police refused to investigate the matter.

Instead the councillors and journalists who covered the saga were arrested.