Cops taken to High Court for demanding spot fines

TRANSPARENCY International Zimbabwe has filed a High Court application seeking an order stopping the police from demanding spot fines from motorists.

The corruption watchdog also wants the High Court to declare the impounding of motor vehicles for a traffic offence without a court order and an option to pay a fine as unlawful.

A chamber application filed last Friday at the Bulawayo High Court by TIZ under case number HC 2773/16, said demanding spot fines by the police violates people's rights as enshrined in the Constitution.

The Commissioner General of Police, Augustine Chihuri and the Minister of Home Affairs, Ignatius Chombo were cited as the first and second respondents respectively.

TIZ said the court should order the police to ticket Zimbabweans driving locally registered vehicles and give them time to pay a fine at a police station of their choice.

It said the practice of police officers insisting on a spot fine on the basis that they are not in possession of a ticket book must be declared an offence.

TIZ demanded that the order given by the court should be published within 21 days and Chombo and Commissioner General Chihuri must pay the costs of the application.

The pair has 10 days to respond to the application as stipulated by the High Court Rules.

TIZ is being represented by Calderwood, Bryce Hendrie and Partners Legal Practitioners.