Motorist challenges Spot fines at the Constitutional Court

A Harare motorist yesterday approached the Constitutional Court challenging the traffic police's practice of demanding spot fines.

Andrew Makunura argues that the practice is unconstitutional and that the law enforcement agents must be ordered to stop this.

The debate was sparked by High Court Judge Justice Francis Bere, who recently made a judicial observation that police were forcing people to pay spot fines when there was a provision allowing motorists to pay at a later date or to deny the charges.

The case intensified with police spokesperson Chief Superintendent Paul Nyathi publicly slamming the judge, accusing him of interfering with police operations.

Chief Supt Nyathi urged motorists to continue paying spot fines and to ignore the judge's remarks, which he dismissed as his personal opinion.

In Makunura's application, the Minister of Home Affairs, the Commissioner-General of Police, Constable Agrippa Chinyama and the Attorney-General were cited as respondents in their official capacities.

Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights filed the application yesterday afternoon and the respondents are expected to file their opposing papers soon.