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Crime Reporter
FOUR Zimbabwe National Water Authority (ZINWA) employees have been arrested in Karoi on allegations of taking bribes from members of the public.
The arrest comes after recent reports that some of the workers had been demanding bribes from residents to facilitate the installation of prepaid water meters, which are availed by the authority for free.
This then resulted in ZINWA launching investigations which confirmed the occurrence of unprofessional behaviour by some of its employees.
The four arrested are Tembenuka Kurasi (52), Paul Zvidzai (42), William Mudzipurwa (42) and Tsambadzai Mutsenura (45).
They are being charged with criminal abuse of office and are expected in court to answer to the charges. In one of the incidents, the workers took about US$60 from one person and another US$80 from another complainant. They are also accused of taking US$165, US$50 and another US$50 from three other people in Karoi.
In a statement, ZINWA corporate communications and marketing manager Mrs Marjorie Munyonga confirmed the developments.
“Following allegations of ZINWA employees taking bribes from clients for the installation of prepaid water meters in Karoi and the subsequent assurance by the authority to get to the bottom of the matter; ZINWA wishes to advise stakeholders and clients that it launched investigations which have confirmed the occurrence of some unprofessional behaviour by some of its employees in Karoi,” she said.
National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said the four were still assisting police with investigations.
“They are still in custody and investigations are in progress,” he said.
Recently, Zimbabwe National Organisation of Association of Residents Trust (ZNOART) executive member, Mr Liberty Chitiya, raised a red flag on the behaviour of the ZINWA workers.
Online Reporter