News / National
Traffic officers in court for taking fish as a bribe
16 May 2014 at 07:08hrs | Views
Three Chiredzi Traffic Police officers have appeared in court facing charges of abuse of office for allegedly taking four fish and $20 from a hawker.
Sergeant Djilive Sibanda (38), Constable Kelly Parwada (25) and Const Munyaradzi January (24) of Ndali Police Station allegedly demanded cash and fish from Mary Mahanya of Checheche Growth Point after arresting her at a road block along the Ngundu-Tanganda Highway.
The cops accused Mahanya of possessing fish without a fishing licence.
They appeared before Chiredzi magistrate Mrs Geraldino Matsoto on Wednesday.
They are denying the allegations and were remanded out of custody to May 23. Prosecutor Mrs Chiedza Muhwandavaka alleged that on April 27 the trio were manning a roadblock at the 159km peg along the Ngundu-Tanganda Highway. They allegedly stopped a Chiredzi-bound kombi at around 1pm and conducted a search and found three buckets of fresh fish.
The officers ordered Mahanya off the kombi and told her she was under arrest for possessing fish without a relevant licence. They allegedly ordered the kombi driver to proceed with his journey. Mahanya phoned her husband who arrived at the road block about an hour later.
Chipinge South legislator Enock Porusingazi (Zanu-PF) arrived at the scene and asked the couple what was happening.
Porusingazi gave the couple $20 to pay a fine and proceeded with his journey. It is alleged that the cops took the $20 but never issued a receipt.
They also allegedly demanded four fish that they wrapped in a newspaper.
The couple went to Checheche where they saw Porusingazi and told him what had happened.
The legislator filed a complaint leading to the trio's arrest.
Sergeant Djilive Sibanda (38), Constable Kelly Parwada (25) and Const Munyaradzi January (24) of Ndali Police Station allegedly demanded cash and fish from Mary Mahanya of Checheche Growth Point after arresting her at a road block along the Ngundu-Tanganda Highway.
The cops accused Mahanya of possessing fish without a fishing licence.
They appeared before Chiredzi magistrate Mrs Geraldino Matsoto on Wednesday.
They are denying the allegations and were remanded out of custody to May 23. Prosecutor Mrs Chiedza Muhwandavaka alleged that on April 27 the trio were manning a roadblock at the 159km peg along the Ngundu-Tanganda Highway. They allegedly stopped a Chiredzi-bound kombi at around 1pm and conducted a search and found three buckets of fresh fish.
The officers ordered Mahanya off the kombi and told her she was under arrest for possessing fish without a relevant licence. They allegedly ordered the kombi driver to proceed with his journey. Mahanya phoned her husband who arrived at the road block about an hour later.
Chipinge South legislator Enock Porusingazi (Zanu-PF) arrived at the scene and asked the couple what was happening.
Porusingazi gave the couple $20 to pay a fine and proceeded with his journey. It is alleged that the cops took the $20 but never issued a receipt.
They also allegedly demanded four fish that they wrapped in a newspaper.
The couple went to Checheche where they saw Porusingazi and told him what had happened.
The legislator filed a complaint leading to the trio's arrest.
Source - The Herald
