$500 bribe lands cop in hot soup

A POLICEMAN based at Hwange Police Station has been arrested for allegedly demanding a bribe of $500.

The policeman allegedly demanded the bribe from a member of the Neighbourhood Watch Committee (NWC).

Sergeant Thembinkosi Khumalo (43), of F28 Lusumbani Village, Hwange, was stationed at the Community Relations and Liaison Office.

He was arrested on Friday at his office after the police set a trap.

Police spokesperson for Matabeleland North Province Assistant Inspector Siphiwe Makonese confirmed the arrest of Sgt Khumalo.

Asst Insp Makonese said Sgt Khumalo attended to a case of a 17-year-old schoolboy who made a report of assault against a member of the NWC. "We have arrested Sgt Khumalo from Hwange Police Station for criminal abuse of duty as a public officer.

"On 28 June at about 9pm, an informant, Mr Mafu Ndebele (46), who is a member of the NWC, was on duty patrolling the streets when he spotted a Form Four pupil from Hwange Government High School loitering with two female friends," said Asst Insp Makonese.

She said the following morning the boy went to the police station and made a report alleging that Mr Ndebele had assaulted him.

"Mr Ndebele stopped the boy and reprimanded him for loitering at night while the two women fled. There are allegations that Mr Ndebele assaulted the boy and released him because the following morning the boy went to the police station and opened a case of assault against him. The boy was referred to the Community Relations and Liaison Office where he was attended to by the accused," said Asst Insp Makonese.

The police spokesperson said Sgt Khumalo did not open a case against the accused as expected, but only gave the boy a reference letter to go to hospital to seek treatment.

Asst Insp Makonese said Sgt Khumalo then allegedly started threatening Mr Ndebele and told him he was facing a serious offence which would land him in jail if he did not bribe him.

"The accused told Mr Ndebele to pay $300, which he said was sentence fee, $100 stay out of prosecution fee and a further $100 he said was for waiver of the case.

"He wrote a letter of demand to Mr Ndebele informing him that the money was due. Sgt Khumalo used his official date stamp before delivering the letter in person to Mr Ndebele," said Asst Insp Makonese.

She said the matter only came to light on Thursday last week when Mr Ndebele went to the officer-in-charge of Hwange Police Station to request for an extension of time to pay.

"The accused kept phoning Mr Ndebele and his wife asking for the money.

"He also continued to threaten him until Mr Ndebele managed to raise $200, which he took to the officer-in-charge to plead with him that he was still trying to raise the money. It was then discovered that Sgt Khumalo was trying to corruptly get money from the informant. The $200 notes were photocopied to set a trap for him," said Asst Insp Makonese.

She said Sgt Khumalo phoned Mr Ndebele and invited him to his office to pay the money leading to his arrest.

Asst Insp Makonese said the police force was committed to stamping out corruption, which had become a rot in the organisation.

"The Commissioner General, Augustine Chihuri, has always said we do not condone corruption in our organisation. Police officers should be a reflection of good behaviour in the society and we will continue removing bad apples.

"We have always spelt out in our Customer Service Charter that the police should work within the values of transparency and accountability.

"This kind of behaviour tarnishes the image of the organisation and it comes at a time when we are striving to cooperate with members of the community who are a linchpin of modern policing," she said.