Police Protection Unit (PPU) Officer, Arrested For Fake Harare Roadbock

A police officer from the Police Protection Unit (PPU) who was arrested for mounting a fake roadblock and extorting $142 from an unsuspecting motorist, has appeared in court facing charges of criminal abuse of duty as a public officer.

Kudzanai Kwashirai, 34, appeared before Harare magistrate Elijah Makomo on Thursday and was remanded in custody.

Kwashirai’s alleged accomplice Tawanda Nyamutamba is on the run. The prosecutor, Peter Kachirika, said on Tuesday, Bernard Andries Bester, 60, of Greenave Forestry Estate in Norton was driving a Mazda BT50 registartion number ABH 6596.

He was stopped by a Toyota Mark II registration number ABA 1106 with two uniformed police officers. Kwashirai advised Bester that he was under arrest for several traffic offences and should pay $380 or his vehicle would be impounded.

Bester only had $92 but Kwashirai said it was not enough and he needed to add another $50.

It is alleged that Bester gave the cops $142 and they told him that it was just a warning, as they would take him to court next time.

Kwashirai and Nyamutamba took the money but did not issue Bester with a copy of Z69.

Bester drove towards Norton and came across other police officers who were manning a road block.

He narrated his story and was told that he had been conned.

Immediately, Bester made a U-turn and as he drove towards the Harare city centre he noticed Kwashirai’s vehicle ahead.

A chase ensued after the ZBC licensing roadblock near Westlea along Harare-Bulawayo Road.

Bester took pictures of the pair’s vehicle with his mobile phone.

The police officers started speeding and Bester chased them.

At the intersection of Kambuzuma and High Glen Roads, Bester gave up and as he was about to stop he saw the cops’ vehicle veering off the road into a maize field.

The police officers disembarked and took to their heels.

Bester shouted for help and residents managed to apprehend Kwashirai.

A senior police officer who refused to be named said yesterday that members of the public should suspect a roadblock is fake if it is manned by less than three police officers.

“The only time you can have two police officers on the highway is if the officers are on motorbikes,” said the police officer.

“If you see police officers charging more than $20 for a single offence at a roadblock, it means they’ll be robbing you.”

“When you see two officers at check points or a police officer trying to enforce traffic regulations in a private vehicle, disobey their instructions and report them to their commanding officer,” said the senior police officer.-by Fungai Lupande and Nqobile Tshili. Source-chronicle