Police units were deployed to round up suspected touts and marshals at different bus ranks across the city, who have been threatening commuter omnibus drivers and forcing them to pay ‘protection fees’.
SW Radio Africa’s Harare correspondent Simon Muchemwa said there was “chaos and commotion,” with some passers-by being caught up in the police campaign. He said that at least two people were injured after being beaten by the police.
This latest crackdown comes in the wake of previous attempts by the police to rid Harare bus ranks of the illegal touts and marshals, said to be members of the ‘mandimbandimba’ criminal gang that is linked to the notorious Chipangano group.
Last September a police operation saw about 500 suspected touts and rank marshals arrested after worsening violence and intimidation aimed at commuter omnibus drivers in Harare. The situation had normalised after the mass arrests.
But in recent weeks touts have started resurfacing, resulting in the post-Easter campaign this week.
Muchemwa reported Friday that the rank ‘marshals’ are mostly youths “who have no other source of income, so even when they are arrested and sentenced, they just come back straight back and do it again.”
He added that the touts keep returning, despite the mass arrests, because “the police officers are said to be receiving bribes to release them.” – SW Radio Africa News
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