Police concede Commissioner Chibage involved in corrupt activities

POLICE yesterday acknowledged that Commissioner Oliver Chibage was involved in a number of corrupt activities, with internal disciplinary measures having been taken against him and an undisclosed number of other officers for their actions.

President Mugabe has declared zero-tolerance to corruption.

Although national chief police spokesperson Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba refused to shed light on the disciplinary action taken against Comm Chibage and his colleagues, she said the police commissioner had been involved in corrupt activities, some of which were before the courts.

She said the first case involved the estate of the late Brian Rhodes and concerns Loice Shekede who was assisted by the police and the Deputy Sheriff to possess her status as the lessee of the estate.

The matter is before the High Court. Another case that has sucked in Comm Chibage involves a vehicle that was allegedly stolen by one Innocent Gumbura who is appearing before the courts.

Omega Chatyoka is accusing Comm Chibage of having acted corruptly with regards to the vehicle. Sources alleged that Comm Chibage played a crucial role in blocking the prosecution of Gumbura.

Comm Chibage is also accused of having worked with some other senior officers in corrupt deals using Commissioner-General Augustine Chihuri's name to fleece people and companies of their money.

Comm-Gen Chihuri was said to be ignorant of the dealings. Addressing a Press conference in Harare yesterday, Snr Asst Comm Charamba said the police had finalised the corrupt cases with regards to their internal discipline procedures.

"The involvement of Commissioner Chibage and others in all these cases is a matter which falls in the purview of police discipline which has already been handled under the Police Act and the matter has been finalised," she said.

"With regards to the issue concerning Commissioner Chibage, the organisation wishes to settle this matter once and for all.  As such, we take note of the interest of others who might be within the organisation and in particular the private media who went into over-drive baying for the blood of Chibage.

"We wish to advise them as follows, that the action taken by the police is commensurate to the involvement of the said officers.  The organisation has no policy of over-killing a matter in pandering to the whims of the hard-hearted who would want to see a mountain falling and burying Chibage."

Snr Asst Comm Charamba said Comm Chibage was on leave pending retirement on pension on December 31. Comm Chibage yesterday could neither deny nor confirm his involvement in the cases of corruption.

"I will just stick to what the police spokesperson has said and I will not  comment further on anything on the matter," he said.

There have been reports that Comm Chibage was forced to resign from the force, amid investigations into his alleged corruption.

Comm Chibage, Chief Superintendent Joel Tenderere and other individuals are being accused of trying to take over a Harare-based company by force under the guise of the government's economic and indigenisation crusade.

In 2011, they were ordered by the High Court not to interfere with the operations of Outdoor Living Centre, a stone and slate miners and purveyors company.

On Tuesday, Home Affairs Deputy Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi said the police would be guided by its standing rules when dealing with members implicated in or involved in corrupt activities.

Addressing journalists during a tour at the Police General Headquarters, Deputy Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi said the force was one of the best when dealing with issues involving under-hand dealings.