'Desist from paying bribes' to fake traffic cops, motorists urged

Home Affairs Deputy Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi has urged motorists to be wary of fake roadblocks and bogus police officers who are demanding bribes.

Responding to a question last week in the Upper House from Hwata Senator Cleveria Chizema, who had asked what Government is doing to reign in errant traffic police officers, Ziyambi disclosed that his ministry is concerned with the situation.

He told the Senate that there is a growing trend whereby some former police officers wear uniforms they used during their tenure of employment when committing crimes.

"It is very true that we have some people who steal military or police attire and these people erect unlawful roadblocks and steal from unsuspecting people.

"The message to our motorists is that they should always be alert to such roadblocks and desist from paying bribes," he said.

Ziyambi said under normal circumstances, a roadblock should not be manned by less than three people.

"I remember in the past, the hierarchy of the police force advised the public that whenever there is a roadblock which is conducted by two or three police officers, you should ignore that roadblock as it would be a fake roadblock.

"Our law does not allow ordinary people to put on military or police attire," he said.
Ziyambi urged members of the public to report to the responsible authorities cases of people who illegally wear police uniforms

"We are not very sure where these thieves are getting this attire. If you see anyone who is not a member of the uniformed forces putting on this attire, you should go and report because when you leave the police or military, you are supposed to surrender your uniform."

In her question, Chizema observed that there should be strict measures to ensure that former members of the force surrender their uniforms when they resign or retire from duty. She said some of the former officers can be tempted to become thieves and use the uniforms in their operations.

"You find that when a police officer is discharged from duty or he dies, from the look of things, the uniforms are not taken back into the custody of the ZRP.

"Clearly there are some thieves who take advantage and put on the uniforms and use them when committing crimes. In the past, when a police officer died, the uniform was taken by the police and burnt.

"Unfortunately, these days there are some people who you meet in the streets putting on this police or military attire," she said.
Several former cops have been implicated in serious crimes in recent months.