According to an inside source, police officers and constabularies were promised a total of $500 each, to be paid in two batches, for acting law enforcement agents for the period July 26 to August 10. Those who worked on election day only were promised $140 as an honorary allowance from President Robert Mugabe, for a job well done. Those who were assigned to go on patrol were promised an extra $360 for their continuous presence as law enforcement agents before and after election day.
Of the $140, constabularies say they were only paid $120, and allege that the $20 was swindled by senior police officers. “They did not even communicate to specify why they deposited $20 less into our accounts as promised because the understanding was that this money was already there because the President had already availed the funds.
“For those that were on patrol, we were promised $360 on the spot and this implies that this money would be paid as soon as we finish doing our duties. To date, nothing has been received,” said the source.
Officers at the ZRP Charge Office Accounts Department in Harare were not aware of when the money would be availed, signalling that the police constabularies would not get their money anytime soon. “We do not even know when that money will come and we can only wait for communication from the head office,” said an officer at the finance desk.
Revealed another inside source, “The suspension of senior cops is linked to the looting of election money. The senior officers thought that the opposition would win the elections and they did not think that they would be investigated because everything would be in a shambles.”
Contacted for comment, Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba said “I am too busy for an interview. Send your questions in writing.” She had not responded to the time of going to print. The ZRP is on record admitting that a number of senior officers are facing corruption charges and would be weeded out of the force. Among those implicated is Commissioner Oliver Chibage, who is said to have been forced to retire.
Last week, 33 traffic police officers from Avondale, including the Officer in Charge suspected to be involved in corruption related charges were transferred to new centres countrywide. Charamba described the transfers as ‘mere routine by the ZRP’.
Post published in: News