Police blitz nets 25 touts in Harare

By Freeman Razemba

Police in Harare yesterday arrested more than 25 touts as they stepped up efforts to restore sanity at bus terminuses and ranks in the city. This follows the death of a Harare man, Mr Mathias Gore, last Tuesday after he was manhandled by touts near Roadport Bus Terminus along Robert Mugabe Road.

A team of both plain and uniformed officers was yesterday deployed in and around the city as the clampdown on touting began. National Traffic Section spokesperson Inspector Tigere Chigome said the operation would continue until sanity prevailed in the city.

“The operation started today (yesterday) and our officers are already on the ground and they will remain there. All those that are arrested will first undergo a vetting process before they are taken to court,” he said.

He urged people who were harassed by touts to report them to the police so that they can be brought to book. Insp Chigome said touting was a crime according to the Road Motor Transportation Act 13:15.

Last week, chief police spokesperson Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba said touts in some cases ended up committing serious crimes such as murder because they are always fined and released. She said it had been difficult to remove touts from the streets due to minor penalties that were imposed on them.

“Recently, there was a case which you all know about, where an elderly man was killed by these touts and a pregnant woman was killed last year. The police have been arresting these touts, but they are fined $20 and are soon back on the streets,” she said.

In 2015, at least 50 touts were arrested after they allegedly severely assaulted a policeman who had attempted to rescue a group of women who were being harassed by touts at Mbare Musika.

The policeman, whose condition was reported to be critical at the time was admitted at Harare Central Hospital. He had seen the touts harassing a group of women and forcibly taking their bags and tried to assist them, but the touts became violent and assaulted him.

This was not the first time that members of the uniformed forces were attacked by touts in the city.

In September 2012, rank marshals severely assaulted two soldiers in uniform at the Charge Office bus terminus in Harare after they came to the rescue of commuters who were being harassed.

The police have over the years conducted operations targeting touts to restore order at commuter omnibus ranks in and around the city.

In 2013 more than 500 touts were arrested during a crackdown to ensure that passengers move freely. Most of the touts were taken to court on charges of touting and fined. The Herald