By Gift Kugara
Commissioner-General of Police Dr Augustine Chihuri on Monday conceded there was corruption in Zimbabwe Republic Police and vowed to weed out bad apples, according to the state owned Herald.
“Police officers must desist from misconduct,” he said. “Pane zvinhu two zvinoitika pauhori. They are quick to grab money and conceal the act. “They want to do so in the dark and cover up everything. It is unlike when there is transparency in the system. Things are done in broad day light.
“The country is grappling with corruption in both the private and public sectors and the dire situation had been worsened by police officers, who chose not to fear God in their day to day work. We want police officer who are afraid of sin.”
He was delivering a sermon at Orange Groove Motel during a meeting with police officers in Mashonaland West Province.
Earlier this year Chihuri said his officers mounting roadblocks are corrupt and a number has been dismissed from the force, but blamed motorists for offering bribes instead of paying fines.
Later on, in June he told a police pass-out parade that low salaries and unfavourable conditions of work caused by lack of funding from Treasury must not be a justification for police officers to engage in corruption.This looks like an obvious admission by the police chief that corruption is there and yet he is failing to effectively deal with it .
In 2016 he admitted that corruption levels in the Police force had reached unprecedented levels.He went further, moving over 600 staff from Beitbridge in a bid to curb corruption.
President Mugabe in July warned traffic police against engaging in corruption and asked Chihuri to put his house in order.
