Traffic cops’ bribe-taking strategies

In connivance with commuter omnibus crews, the traffic police have adopted a system known as ‘Airtime’ to sustain their shoddy deals. The sophisticated scheme involves bus crews paying bribes before arriving at roadblocks.

This follows the recent arrests of corrupt traffic officers by the government anti-corruption unit. President Mugabe, at the Zanu (PF) conference held in December, rapped the police for being corrupt, resulting in the Zimbabwe Republic Police leadership intensifying operations against bribe-taking officers on the roads.

“To beat anti-corruption officials masquerading as commuter omnibus crews at roadblocks, we have devised a smart way of collecting bribes from commuter omnibuses,” bragged a traffic police officer.

According to the officer, registration numbers of commuter omnibuses plying a particular route are compiled each morning. The register, together with $5 per vehicle, is forwarded to police officers manning the roadblock along the route.

“The strategy is smart enough to beat any anti-corruption detective. As the buses approach the roadblock, police officers check from the register if the vehicle paid the ‘clearance fee.’ Commuter omnibuses with something amiss and not appearing on the ‘clearance’ list will be forced to pay a spot fine without any negotiations,” said the police officer.

He said this would give a false impression to onlookers that police were no longer corrupt. In the past, bribes changed hands in full view of the public.

Commuter omnibus crews interviewed by The Zimbabwean along the Marondera-Harare road confirmed the development.

“Yes, we are always a step ahead of the government anti-corruption drive,” said a bus driver who only identified himself as Jah.

He said if a particular route had several roadblocks, each bus would contribute $5 for every police check point.

ZRP is considered one of the most corrupt police establishments in southern Africa. According to a recent report by the Anti-Corruption Trust of Southern Africa, corruption by ZRP traffic officers has become commonplace.

“Corruption by Zimbabwe Republic Police traffic officers is worsening to the extent that culprits were shamelessly demanding bribes in public,” reads the report.

In a bid to intensify the fight against corruption in the force, police use lie detectors.

“Lie detectors will fish out corrupt officers. Those who fail the lie detector tests will be dealt with accordingly,” former Chief Police spokesperson, Senior Assistant Commissioner Wayne Bvudzijena, said.

Police Commissioner General, Augustine Chihuri has vowed to fight corruption among the police rank and file, even though reports abound that the top leadership of ZRP is also involved.