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THE City of Harare has suspended eight municipal police officers and two Water Department officials over allegations of misconduct and corruption.
City of Harare spokesperson Stanley Gama confirmed the suspensions saying the City was taking the fight against corruption seriously.
He emphasised that the City of Harare does not condone corruption at all and urged residents to report any suspicious transgressions by council officials.
Among those suspended are Takudzwa Majachani, Sipiwe Matavire, Taurai Guregure, Hebert Mukumba, Tonderai Nyikadzino, Douglas Nyemba, Ignatius Pesvani, Newman Mhereyenyoka as well as street parking supervisors only identified as Mapfumo and Muringisi.
“On 21 October at Reliance Mall, Harare CBD Patrol women Takudzwa Majachani and Sipiwe Matavire, who are under the Environmental Patrol women Unit, masqueraded as police officers who are mandated to carry out shop licencing duties when in fact they were not mandated to carry out such duties,” Gama said.
“In furthering their purported duty they demanded shop licences from a shop owner at the Mall, their actions were inconsistent with their duties.”
Gama said on the same day at Superbrite Soap Manufacturing Company, Workington, Harare patrolmen Taurai Guregure, Hebert Mukumba, Tonderai Nyikadzino and Douglas Nyemba masqueraded as police officers mandated to carry out shop licensing duties when in fact they were not mandated to carry such duties.
“They were intercepted by a team of investigators and were found in possession of 4×12 bars of soap they had already allegedly extorted from Superbrite Soap Manufacturing Company,” he said.
He added that three days later, Council employees — Ignatius and Newman Mhereyenyoka — who are under the Harare Water Department, masqueraded as police officers who were on licensing duties and demanded shop licenses from Kartoque company in furtherance of their purported licensing duty.
“They were arrested by members of the public and handed over to ZRP Mabelreign Police Station.
“In another incident along Julius Nyerere Street, parking supervisors Mapfumo and Muringisi arrested a motorist for parking over the lines,” he said.
“They allegedly demanded a bribe of US$20 from the motorist in exchange for letting him go.
“When they were handed the demanded money, they disembarked from the car they had earlier boarded with the intention of taking it to Central Stores for impounding.
“The two parking supervisors acted in a manner inconsistent with their duties in that they demanded a bribe in exchange for letting a car they had impounded be driven away.
“The actions of the two caused irreparable damage to the institution as their actions were captured by the complainant who later shared the incident on social media.”
Online Reporter