Vendors accuse council police of theft

VENDORS yesterday accused council police of "stealing" confiscated wares and selling them, adding that they had engaged lawyers to deal with the matter.

Council police have been arresting vendors in Harare and confiscating their wares including vegetables, shoes, blankets among other commodities.

But the vendors said the move was not only illegal, but also criminal on the part of council police who resell the loot for their benefit.

"We are definitely going to challenge it in the courts. We are consulting with our lawyers on the best way to approach it but what we know is that by confiscating wares the local authority is acting illegally," Vendors Initiative for Socio-Economic Transformation director Samuel Wadzai said yesterday.
Vendors, who spoke to NewsDay following a raid by council police last week, said their goods were taken but were not returned despite that they paid admission of guilt fines to the Zimbabwe Republic Police.

"They are supposed to return the goods to the owners upon payment of the stipulated fines, but this is not what is happening in the majority of cases. We have seen municipal officers helping themselves to the confiscated goods. It's unacceptable," Wadzai said.

Council spokesperson Michael Chideme was not available to comment yesterday.