Two Zimra officers in court for taking bribes

TWO immigration officers who were last week arrested after they were caught on closed-circuit television cameras taking bribes from travellers, appeared in court on Saturday morning charged with criminal abuse of office.

Precious Ndomupei Dumbu and Tinashe Gotosa, were picked up by detectives soon after collecting the money.

It is alleged that they were paid to tamper with stamps for two travellers that had overstayed in the country.

The CCTVs are part of security upgrades at the border post as Government seeks to reduce incidents of corruption and smuggling at the ports of entry.

So far, Government has secured $600 000 which has been used to buy border patrol vehicles, lie detectors, mineral and metal detectors, patrol motor bikes, secret cameras and repairing the border perimeter fence that had been vandalised by criminals.

The CCTVs were installed in the past two months at points unknown to border officials.

Dumbu and Gotosa, who are represented by Mr Reason Mutimba of Nyikadzino legal practitioners, appeared before magistrate Mr Godswill Mavenge charged with criminal abuse of office.

They were released on $100 bail each.

Allegations are that they were on duty last Thursday when they were caught on camera by security personnel taking bribes of R300 from two travellers.

They were picked up by police detectives soon after collecting the money.

Since the introduction of CCTVs, four people including the two immigration and two police officers (Constables Marvelous Nyikadzino and Kudakwashe Zvavanoda) have been arrested, and not six Zimra officials as earlier reported.

It has emerged that no Zimra official was among those arrested and the inconvenience caused is sincerely regretted.