Police syndicate busted….. received bribes from kombi operators

By Nyore Madzianike

HARARE – Three traffic cops based at Mabvuku police station have been arrested for receiving bribes from commuter omnibus operators plying routes within their policing areas.

Dorcas Kanyemba , Barbra Macharika and Simbarashe Chigweshe were taken to court facing allegations of abusing status as public officers. The trio was arrested whilst they were on night duty.

Circumstances leading to their arrest are that on October 19, Assistant Inspector Thomas Mabgwe received information from Darlington Mupariwa to the effect that traffic police were soliciting for US$5 bribes from kombi operators.

Assistant Inspector Mabgwe is stationed at Police General Headquarters Intelligence Directorate. The bribes were for allowing kombi operators to pass through road blocks during the day with out any arrest, according to the state.

It is said that the bribes were supposed to be paid between 4am and 6am at Mabvuku police traffic offices. Reports are that the police would record the kombi’s registration number and give the operators a code which they would use during the day.

Ass Insp Mabgwe decided to set a trap which was authorised by Superintendent Chinyani. A team comprising Ass Insp Mabgwe, Sergeant Kadzima, Constable Karimupfumbi and Mupariwa allegedly arrived at Mabvuku police traffic offices with two kombis and paid their ‘bribes ‘ pretending as if they were part of the syndicate.

It is alleged that the money was handed over to Macharika who then booked their kombi’s registration numbers before being given a code -Zero (0).

The court heard that as soon as the bribes were paid Ass Ins Mabgwe pounced on Macharika and Chigweshe who were in the office at the time. The team also recovered the list of registration numbers and US$230. Some kombi operators who are alleged to be part of the scam were also arrested and are expected to appear in court. H Metro