MATABELELAND police detectives have been accused of extorting money from travellers at Beitbridge Border Post.
It also emerged that junior officers are bribing their superiors stationed at the Matabeleland South Criminal Investigation Department (CID) headquarters in Gwanda to be deployed to Beitbridge, where there are easy pickings.
This is contained in a complaint lodged at the Police General Headquarters (PGHQ) in Harare by an anonymous source.
According to sources, different teams are deployed to the country’s busiest port of entry to extort money from travellers.
Assistant Commissioner Peter Sibanda, the officer commanding Operation No To Cross-Border Crime, confirmed receiving the complaint.
“We have seen the anonymous complaint, we are investigating the matter,” Sibanda said when contacted for comment.
According to the letter of complaint titled Corruption At CID DHQ Mat South, the junior cops share the loot with their bosses.
“I want to bring your attention to the corrupt activities happening at Beitbridge Border Post being done by CID DHQ details. The DCIO is deploying DHQ details from Gwanda to lucrative points at Beitbridge Border Post on a fortnight rotational basis,” the complaint read.
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“The details work at the border siphoning money from motorists/smugglers/omalayitsha just for self-aggrandisement. This has been going on for over a year now.”
It adds: “It is surprising to note that commanders are now the instigators of corruption instead of shunning corruption. May your high office put an end to these corrupt activities before it gets out of hand.”
Beitbridge, being Zimbabwe and the region’s busiest border post, is a hive of activity, including human trafficking, smuggling of goods and several other underhand deals.
It emerged that some detectives are begging to be permanently deployed to Beitbridge, where there are easy pickings.
