adminPatrick Chitumba Midlands Bureau Chief
FOUR senior police officers have been transferred from the Midlands Province pending an internal hearing for allegedly running gold mines in and around Kwekwe in violation of the Police Act.
The four, identified as Chief Superintendent F Thlomani; Superintendent T Mpofu; Superintendent T Muchineuta and Superintendent B Mungwa, have allegedly been transferred from the province to Guruve, Chipinge, Hurungwe and Gwanda.
According to documents seen by The Chronicle, the quartet is being charged for contravening paragraph 37 of the schedule to the Police Act.
They are set to appear before an internal tribunal.
“The above named officers are being charged for Contravening paragraph 37 of the schedule to the Police Act Chapter 11:10 as read with section 29A (c) as amended by the Criminal Penalties Amendment Act Number 22/01, (for) without the approval of Commissioner General of Police, carrying on any trade, occupation or business, other directly or through the agent of any other person,” reads part of the documents seen by The Chronicle.
The Officer Commanding Midlands Province, Senior Assistant Commissioner Abigail Moyo, referred inquiries to the Officer Commanding Administration in the province, Assistant Commissioner C Ndoro, who professed ignorance over the matter.
However, police sources said the four senior officers had gold concessions in and around Kwekwe contrary to the provisions of the Police Act.
“The Police Act says that our members shouldn’t, without approval of the Commissioner General, engage in some trade or business. Worse when we’ve senior officers abusing their powers and grabbing other people’s claims. So they were charged and transferred for doing that,” said a source close to the matter.
In 2014, a total of 368 police officers were dismissed from the Zimbabwe Republic Police for various acts of misconduct.
The then Deputy Minister of Home Affairs, Ziyambi Ziyambi, responding to a question in Parliament in June last year, said the officers had been discharged for violating the Police Act. “A member can be discharged for misconduct, after conviction of a criminal offence, if he or she is unfit for duty by failing to adhere to the police code of ethics and it’s recommended that he or she be discharged as unsuitable,” he said.
Online Reporter