dyton mupawaenda
Ivan Zhakata-Herald Correspondent
HARARE City Council has warned residents and the business community of people masquerading as municipal police officers and soliciting bribes in the city centre, usually over shop licensing by-laws.
In a statement, the council said the public should report to the acting chief superintendent of investigations, Harare metropolitan police, if they suspect they have been engaged by bogus municipal police officers.
“Business owners who do not have shop licences have fallen prey to these unscrupulous elements who demand bribes, threatening to close down shops operating without licences or whose licences would have expired. All business licence renewals and payments are done at Rowan Martin Building,” the council said in a statement.
“The city does not have licence renewal agents roaming around the city, soliciting bribes. It is unlawful for any municipal police officer or any council official to demand bribes from residents and business owners.”
So the public should immediately report such approaches to the local authority.
“In order to flush out these bogus elements, the city has since formed an anti-corruption crack team that will react and investigate such reports with speed,” reads the statement.
“The team will also be carrying out operations to catch the criminals in the act. Members of the public and members of the business community who encounter suspicious demands from municipal police officers or council employees must report such issues to the acting chief superintendent investigations, Harare metropolitan police.”
Council has also directed all inquiries to do with business licences to the city health director, Dr Prosper Chonzi.
Peter Tanyanyiwa
Online Reporter