News / National
Bribe-chasing cops impound kombi, crash into signpost
17 Jun 2017 at 10:09hrs | Views
THERE was drama and chaos at Bellevue along Masiyephambili Road in Bulawayo yesterday when some Nkulumane Police Station officers allegedly impounded a kombi over an outstanding $3 bribe, before ramming into a signpost.
The driver of the kombi, Tavonga Moyo, said he arrived at a roadblock at Bellevue along Masiyephambili Road and was signalled to stop his Toyota vehicle, registration number ACQ 4455.
"I was still talking to the other female officer when suddenly three police officers jumped into my kombi to impound it, accusing me of failing to pay a $3 bribe which I did not pay on Wednesday," he alleged.
"A police sergeant nicknamed Mlomobomvu, from Nkulumane, drove the kombi intending to take it to the police station, while I sat on the passenger seat.''
He said the officer was speeding and lost control of the vehicle before ramming into a signpost.
Moyo said the other officers called their colleagues from Nkulumane Police Station to attend the scene.
But other kombi drivers who came to the scene resisted and called police officers from Drill Hall traffic section to attend to the scene to record statements.
"Other drivers came to my rescue and we refused all this nonsense until police officers from Drill Hall came to record statements and take fingerprints. We wanted police officers from a neutral police station to record the statements,'' he said.
When a NewsDay Weekender reporter arrived at the scene, kombi drivers who were gathered at the scene said bribe-seeking cops were terrorising them.
"We pay $3 in the morning and the other $3 in the afternoon to the same police officers. Imagine there are 120 kombis plying the Emganwini route and 114 for Munyoro," one of the kombi drivers said.
"Add the numbers and multiply by six per day. How much money is this? This money does not go to government coffers, but to their (officers) pockets. Please rescue us, asifuni bumbulu (we don't want nonsense."
Efforts to get a comment from Bulawayo police spokesperson Inspector Precious Simango were fruitless as her mobile number was not reachable.
The driver of the kombi, Tavonga Moyo, said he arrived at a roadblock at Bellevue along Masiyephambili Road and was signalled to stop his Toyota vehicle, registration number ACQ 4455.
"I was still talking to the other female officer when suddenly three police officers jumped into my kombi to impound it, accusing me of failing to pay a $3 bribe which I did not pay on Wednesday," he alleged.
"A police sergeant nicknamed Mlomobomvu, from Nkulumane, drove the kombi intending to take it to the police station, while I sat on the passenger seat.''
He said the officer was speeding and lost control of the vehicle before ramming into a signpost.
Moyo said the other officers called their colleagues from Nkulumane Police Station to attend the scene.
"Other drivers came to my rescue and we refused all this nonsense until police officers from Drill Hall came to record statements and take fingerprints. We wanted police officers from a neutral police station to record the statements,'' he said.
When a NewsDay Weekender reporter arrived at the scene, kombi drivers who were gathered at the scene said bribe-seeking cops were terrorising them.
"We pay $3 in the morning and the other $3 in the afternoon to the same police officers. Imagine there are 120 kombis plying the Emganwini route and 114 for Munyoro," one of the kombi drivers said.
"Add the numbers and multiply by six per day. How much money is this? This money does not go to government coffers, but to their (officers) pockets. Please rescue us, asifuni bumbulu (we don't want nonsense."
Efforts to get a comment from Bulawayo police spokesperson Inspector Precious Simango were fruitless as her mobile number was not reachable.
Source - newsday
