Police under spotlight over US$10 bribes

MOSES MATENGA

 

Police should reform and stop corruption that is seeing criminals bribing as little as US$10 to escape from justice, the Senate heard yesterday.

Contributing to debate on the Police Amendment Bill in the Senate yesterday, MDC-T Senator Morgen Komichi said the new law must ensure that police desist from using force in dealing with the public while also desisting from graft that he said was rampant.

“I believe that the Constitution tried the best to seek justice so the first thing is the removal of”Force “ to”Service “. Indeed “force” was deployed by the police in the past,” he said.

“The police were a power on its own. They were using force, whips and sometimes baton sticks destroying windscreens of kombis and others because they believed they were a force. Now that they are going to be a service, they know that they are going to serve people and are subordinate to the people knowing that they were put by people who are in authority. So power lies with the people and that is important.”

On corruption, Komichi said: “Indeed corruption is there even within the police force. When you give someone $10, then the case falls away. This is happening.”

“They were some youths that were arrested a few days ago and they gave the police $30 and they were released. This is what is happening. The law should really look into such issues which tarnish the police service. It does not matter whether it was the “Force” but now that we are transforming the “Force” into a “Service” then we need to eliminate such.”

Zanu PF Senator Angeline Tongogara said the Bill was also very important as it re-emphasises the function and the role the police should play in a democratic country.

“It emphasises that there should be non-partisan and be professional in character, not to affiliate to any political establishment but to service the people of Zimbabwe,” she said.

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