News / National
Chihuri fingered in fake spot fine books scam
23 Jan 2018 at 00:49hrs | Views
WOES continue to mount on retired Police Commissioner-General, Augustine Chihuri, who now faces a possible criminal case of abuse of office and corruption.
Former police officer Tafadzwa Gambiza, fired from the force after refusing to cast his ballot in front of his commanders, has opened a case of corruption against Chihuri, demanding that he be brought before the courts.
The case, reported at Kwekwe Central Police Station and captured under RRB number 3284257, was made before Chihuri was fired.
Gambiza accuses Chihuri of illegally printing fake spot fine books which were not prescribed at law and converting the money to his own use, paying his top officers and abusing his position for self-enrichment.
"The accused designed his private national deposit fine schedules illegally usurping the mandate of the Ministry of Justice, instead of issuing motorists with Z69J tickets as prescribed. He used police printers to print own tickets, which was both illegal and corrupt," wrote Gambiza in his statement to the police.
Chihuri is accused of pushing the police to fundraise for money which he allegedly used to build homes in leafy suburbs.
"The offence of not having red rear reflectors, for instance, is covered by Chapter 13:11 section 37(1) of the Road Traffic Act and was $5 fine, but Chihuri gave an illegal instruction to have his officers charge $20," he wrote.
"Further, Chihuri, through his fake ticket books, violated the law by remitting all spot fines to the director of finance at Police General Headquarters, when this issue of admission of guilt is provided in Chapter 9:07 section 356 of the Criminal Procedure and Evidence Act and the Zimbabwe Republic Police standing orders volume 1," Gambiza said.
The Act specifies that Z69J tickets for spot fines have the original white copy and be remitted to the clerk of court together with deposit fines.
Gambiza said he was aware that the matter had Cabinet approval and was debated in Parliament, but this did not make it law and Chihuri, as a law enforcer, was supposed to be competent enough not to implement illegal decisions.
Former police officer Tafadzwa Gambiza, fired from the force after refusing to cast his ballot in front of his commanders, has opened a case of corruption against Chihuri, demanding that he be brought before the courts.
The case, reported at Kwekwe Central Police Station and captured under RRB number 3284257, was made before Chihuri was fired.
Gambiza accuses Chihuri of illegally printing fake spot fine books which were not prescribed at law and converting the money to his own use, paying his top officers and abusing his position for self-enrichment.
"The accused designed his private national deposit fine schedules illegally usurping the mandate of the Ministry of Justice, instead of issuing motorists with Z69J tickets as prescribed. He used police printers to print own tickets, which was both illegal and corrupt," wrote Gambiza in his statement to the police.
"The offence of not having red rear reflectors, for instance, is covered by Chapter 13:11 section 37(1) of the Road Traffic Act and was $5 fine, but Chihuri gave an illegal instruction to have his officers charge $20," he wrote.
"Further, Chihuri, through his fake ticket books, violated the law by remitting all spot fines to the director of finance at Police General Headquarters, when this issue of admission of guilt is provided in Chapter 9:07 section 356 of the Criminal Procedure and Evidence Act and the Zimbabwe Republic Police standing orders volume 1," Gambiza said.
The Act specifies that Z69J tickets for spot fines have the original white copy and be remitted to the clerk of court together with deposit fines.
Gambiza said he was aware that the matter had Cabinet approval and was debated in Parliament, but this did not make it law and Chihuri, as a law enforcer, was supposed to be competent enough not to implement illegal decisions.
Source - newsday
