Online Reporter
Prosper Dembedza-Herald Correspondent
Two officers stationed at Mbare Police Station have been convicted of criminal abuse of office after extorting motorists by demanding a US$1 fee from those passing through the station gate.
On the day of their arrest, the two cops were found with US$120 cash.
Naume Dube (31) and Victoria Shonhiwa (36) now await sentencing after they were remanded in custody by a Harare magistrate.
The State, led by Ms Dzidzai Josiah, successfully proved that on March 18 last year, the two were on duty at the main gate to the station. They turned the gate into a personal toll booth, demanding US$1 from every motorist exiting the station.
This corrupt scheme came to light when internal investigations officers received a tip-off from concerned members of the public.
Acting swiftly, a team of internal investigators conducted surveillance on the accused officers. They observed the duo collecting money from motorists passing through the gate.
The court heard that Shonhiwa was seen handing over the collected money to Dube for safekeeping.
When the internal investigations team moved in to apprehend the officers, a total of US$120 was recovered from Dube following a search.
Alongside the cash, investigators also recovered a document listing vehicle registration numbers, believed to be part of their illicit operations.
The convicted officers were immediately taken to the Police Internal Investigations Section and were later handed over to the Police Anti-Corruption Unit for further management of the case.
