'Don't tempt cops with bribes,' says Mujuru

Vice President Joice Mujuru has told police officers to stop engaging in corruption saying this was tarnishing the image of the force.

Addressing a pass out parade of 546 police officers, Mujuru said corruption should not be tolerated within the police force.

"We must also stop tempting our disciplined force by bribing them at any given opportunity such as roadblocks, court cases and crime scenes to name a few examples," Mujuru said.

A number of cops have been arraigned before the courts for receiving and demanding bribes from suspects while others have been fired for engaging in corrupt activities.

"I wish to call upon all Zimbabweans to rid society ills affecting our communities today by adhering to our values of ubuntu or hunhu," she said.

The parade, which comprised 131 female officers and 415 males' officers, was urged by the VP to respect the girl child. Mujuru called for a stop to the "menace" of raping minors.

"Some fathers are raping their own daughters, No! What has become of our country? To you the fresh graduands, I say batai munhu! Stop this insanity forthwith."

Mujuru expressed alarm that "seven month-old babies are being raped!"

According to police statistics, 2 400 minors' were sexually abused in the last 10 months.

Mujuru also lamented the destruction of wild life in Hwange following the poisoning of elephants.

"As government we are deeply saddened by the recent heartless and retrogressive acts where we have seen a large number of elephants being killed at the Hwange National Park through cyanide poisoning," she said.