A ZIMBABWE Republic Police constable has been arrested for criminal abuse of office after taking a bribe from a commuter omnibus in which members of a regional anti-corruption body were passengers.
According to a police internal memo, Personal Dzuramera (41) on September 21 stopped a commuter omnibus along the Harare-Marondera Road as part of a road traffic blitz.
Dzuramera demanded US$30 as fine only to later settle for a US$10 bribe.
“A Caravan commuter omnibus reg No AGL 4031 travelling from Marondera to Harare was stopped and the driver was asked to pay a US$30 fine and he told the now accused that he had only US$10 in his possession and he was told to hand it over to him,” the memo read.
“The now accused person took the US$10 serial number PD 56195727 A and gave the driver US$5 change serial number QE22746714 B which he said will be used to pay [at a] tollgate.
“All this happened in the eyes of four Southern Africa Regional Anti-Corruption Organisation [SARACO] members who were in the above-mentioned commuter omnibus plus two other passengers.”
According to the memo, the SARACO members disembarked from the kombi and confronted Dzuramera over the bribe.
“The anti-corruption team disembarked from the omnibus and approached the now accused and introduced themselves as members from SARACO and the officer took US$10 from his right trousers [uniform] pocket and threw it down together with an exercise book he was holding, but the money was immediately picked by corruption prevention intelligence officer Kasere.
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“The accused was taken to Dema Police Station together with his colleagues where officer-in-charge ZRP Dema Chief Inspector Shayanewako was briefed about the whole case and a docket was compiled on ZRP Dema RRB number 6052555.”
Investigations are being undertaken by ZRP Dema and Dzuramera is expected to appear in court soon.
“Chief Superintendent Chokuda from PGHQ Internal Investigations was advised and she later on phoned back and advised officer-in-charge Dema to make sure that a docket has been opened and procedures done and to make sure that the accused person is taken to court within the stipulated time.”
