Moffat Mungazi
Post Reporter
POLICE in Mutare have arrested more than 54 touts who had become a menace at city ranks, harassing commuters in an ongoing blitzkrieg meant to ensure sanity at ranks around the central business district.
Police embarked on an operation code named: “No to touts” late in March, with teams set up to carry out motorised and foot patrols.
Acting Manicaland provincial police spokesperson, Assistant Inspector Wiseman Chinyoka said some touts were caught with dangerous drugs.
He cited Sakubva Bus Terminus, Harare Old Rank, Dangamvura, Sakubva Rank, Megawatt, Victoria Chitepo Hospital Bus Stop and other informal bus stop at Zuva BP Service Station and Christmas Pass as problem areas, where touts harass and assault members of the public who refuse to comply with their demands.
Assistant Inspector Chinyoka said among those arrested were Tawanda Matara (42) and Maqhawe Sibanda (43).
“On March 24 at around 3pm, police received a tip-off that some of the notorious rank marshals were intending to visit Hardware Zone in Mutare. They reacted to the situation, which came out negative since the suspects did not appear at the site. During the raid, another tip-off was received that the rank marshals at Old Rank were beating up an unknown person. The team rushed there and encircled the area used as their hide-out inside a maize field.
“Police strategically cordoned the area for a thorough search for dangerous drugs. The canine department cast a dog for terrain search in areas strongly suspected of hiding drugs. The detector dog searched for about five minutes without any positive results, and changed the area of search to a nearby dumping site where it indicated a black plastic bag containing 25 sachets of dagga.
“The dog was recast again on the opposite side of the dumping area and recovered nine bottles of Benylin Cough Syrup covered by grass. The handler and his dog continued with the area search and further recovered four bottles of Broncleer Cough Syrup covered by dry leaves under a tree. The suspects were arrested after being described by the whistleblower aggrieved by the attitude and assaults perpetrated by the rank marshals on innocent travellers,” he said.
“Police in Manicaland have noted with concern an increase in cases of violent confrontation of the travelling public by touts, especially at Sakubva Bus Terminus, Harare Old Rank, Dangamvura and Sakubva ranks, Megawatt, Victoria Chitepo Provincial Hospital Bus stop and Zuva BP. Touts go to the extent of harassing and assaulting the public for not obeying their orders.
“The police would like to take this opportunity to encourage the general public to report all cases perpetrated against them by touts. Furthermore, the public is implored to supply the police with the whereabouts of fugitive rank marshals so that the long arm of the law catches up with them,” added Assistant Inspector Chinyoka.
Online Reporter