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Herald Reporters
The officer-in-charge of Mbare Police Station was yesterday trapped and arrested after she allegedly demanded a $60 bribe from a motorist to facilitate the release of his vehicle that had been impounded over a traffic offence. The senior officer, only identified as Chief Inspector Sigauke, was yesterday evening still detained at Rhodesville Police Station and assisting police with investigations.
Sources close to investigations said the motorist had his vehicle impounded at a roadblock by police officers for violating traffic offences and it was taken to the police station for further investigations.
During the process, the motorist is reported to have approached Chief Insp Sigauke for assistance. The officer-in-charge is reported to have demanded a $60 bribe to facilitate the release of the vehicle.
The owner then alerted policemen who then set-up a trap. They went to the police station where Chief Insp Sigauke was handed over the money, leading to her arrest. It is reported that before she was arrested, she tried to swallow the money but failed.
She is also alleged to have bitten a policemen’s hand in a bid to evade arrest. Chief Insp Sigauke was taken to Rhodesville Police Station for further investigations. Last month, Police Commissioner-General Augustine Chihuri accused some officers manning roadblocks of corruption. He said a number had been dismissed from the force, but also blamed motorists for offering bribes, instead of paying legal fines.
He said it was a misconception that the police kept money properly raised from roadblocks, which they deposit into a bank account administered by the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe.
Comm-Gen Chihuri told legislators from the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Peace and Security, and Home Affairs and Security Services on a familiarisation tour of several police projects in Harare that police did not set targets for fine collections at roadblocks.
Online Reporter