A MEMBER of the Zimbabwe Republic Police has been arrested on allegations of criminal abuse of office after allegedly forming an illegal association for sharing information with commuter omnibus crews to evade roadblocks.
Benjamin Chivasa was arraigned before a Harare magistrate on Saturday.
Magistrate Yeukai Dzuda remanded Chivasa on US$100 bail.
Chivasa is the second police detail to be arrested on the same allegations after another officer, Shepherd Jaricha, was arrested last week for forming an association called “KR Jaricha” for the same purpose. Jaricha is also out of custody on US$100 bail.
Allegations are that last month, Chivasa formed a commuter omnibus operators’ association named “Mukoma Benji”, which facilitated the operation of commuter omnibuses without requisite documents and complying with requirements in terms of the Road Traffic Act and the Road Motor Transportation Act.
It is alleged that the commuter omnibuses were plying several routes in and around Harare into the central business district.
According to the State, Chivasa would also provide information on police traffic operations to the bogus association’s members in a bid to foil police efforts to bring sanity on Harare’s roads.
It is further alleged that Chivasa’s actions were contrary to and inconsistent with his duties as a public officer.
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The State also alleged that Chivasa was also part of the management team controlling the private voluntary organisation knowing that it was started, sought financial assistance from members and carried on its activities while not registered.
Some commuter omnibuses, the State said, inscribed Chivasa’s association on their vehicles as well as his name and residential address.
The court also heard that some of the association’s members testified, saying that they are affiliated to Chivasa’s bogus association.
