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Victor Maphosa Herald Correspondent
Zimbabwe Republic Police’s (ZRP) Commercial Crime Unit (CCU) working with the Zimbabwe United Passengers Company’s (ZUPCO) Risk Control Department have arrested a Harare man for allegedly manufacturing fake ZUPCO staff indentification cards (IDs).
The arrests came after a tip off that one Farai Sangombe was in the business of illegally manufacturing fake ID cards for ZUPCO and other private owned bus companies. Efforts to get a comment from the police were fruitless, however a high placed official at ZUPCO said after a tipoff, ZUPCO’s risk team set a trap where one of the staff members engaged the fraudster and asked him to make an ID for him.
The fraudster would the sell the IDs to members of the public who would in turn use them to access free rides on ZUPCO buses. A docket has since been opened under case number CR701/02/2020. Allegations are that the ZUPCO official was charged $80 for the service.
“After the fake ID was produced, the police arrived and identified themselves, including the ZUPCO official. Sangombe was subsequently arrested. He is now in police custody,” said the official who refused to be named.
He said after the arrest, police recovered fake IDs for ZUPCO, Inter Africa and for other buses concealed in Sangombe’s bag.
“The trap money which he received from the ZUPCO risk team official was also recovered.”
The arrest of Sangombe comes hardly a week after another bogus ZUPCO employee was arrested for defrauding innocent people of cash on the pretex that he would facilitate employment for them at the organisation.
“Again, the Risk Department set a trap for this person and nailed him. Kingston Choto went to the extent of advertising on social media that he is an agent for ZUPCO and was recruiting conductors, especially those without five ‘O’level passes. The risk team got a tip off and set a trap and he was caught. He was arrested and has since appeared in court.”
He said Choto was charging US$15 for his alleged illegal services.
Online Reporter