Latest News Editor's Choice


News / National

Rogue cops crackdown intensifies

by Staff reporter
31 Mar 2019 at 23:51hrs | Views
POLICE have intensified efforts to weed out cops who damage public perception of the force through criminal activities and misconduct.

In an interview yesterday, national police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said ZRP has zero tolerance to police misconduct and those found guilty will be dealt with accordingly.  

Asst Comm Nyathi's sentiments come following a flood of reports of cops committing serious crimes across the country.

"ZRP does not condone any acts of criminality, any acts of indiscipline or corruption by police officers. So those who would be found wanting, those who would be found going against the set standards of the organisation, whether as a group or whether in their individual capacity will certainly face the full wrath of the law," said Asst Comm Nyathi.

Last week on Friday, police arrested three officers, one of them a senior cop when the trio were found with 15 different types of guns, more than 180 live bullets and an assortment of related armaments which they could not account for.

Police arrested David Fugao, an Officer-in-Charge at the Matabeleland North Provincial Armoury (in Bulawayo), Wonder Tawanda Karamba (33), Francis Chaterera (39) on charges of criminal abuse of duty as public officers.

The cops were arrested after a civilian Ame Mpala, a suspected armed robber, implicated Fugao for supplying him with an AK47 rifle which he allegedly used to commit robberies.

Asst Comm Nyathi said the conduct of the rogue elements does not reflect the position of the organisation. He said the arrest of such cops testifies that ZRP is intolerant to corrupt activities and their behaviours would not dent its community rebranding exercise.  

"In any organisation there are bad elements and our reengagement process with members of the public, communities from which we police cannot be affected by the acts of a few individuals who go astray. That is why they face not only disciplinary action but in cases where there is an act of criminality we also go through due process of the law just like any other citizen," he said.

Asst Comm Nyathi said he did not have statistics of cops who have been suspended or fired from service due to acts of misconduct, off hand.  

"But suffice to say it's on record that ZRP does not condone any conduct which borders on criminality which borders on performing duties outside the outlined procedures when we talk of the client service charter which ZRP has clearly marketed to members of the public," said Asst Comm Nyathi.

Source - chronicle