Senior Municipal officer nabbed for requesting bri...

Senior Municipal officer nabbed for requesting bribe

Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission on Twitter: "1/ #IntegrityCommittees are mechanisms to promote proactive, preventive and pre-emptive interventions that promote integrity for effective delivery of services to the public, customers and clients. https ...

Zim Now Writer

A 44-year-old Harare Municipal police officer, Priscah Mutereko, will today appear in court after she was arrested for extorting US$60 from a local business.

Mutereko of Pension Farm in Glen View was arrested by Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission officers.

ZACC confirmed the arrest in a statement.

“On the 3rd of April 2023, the accused person was the leader of a team that was carrying out Licence Inspection duties.

“At around midday, they issued a ticket to Paguta Trading (Pvt) Ltd for failure to produce a valid council business licence with a fine of US$290 which was supposed to be paid within seven working days.

“On May 15, 2023, the accused person went back to the complainant’s premises where she locked the premises for failure by the complainant to pay the required fine of US$290,” reads the statement.

ZACC said after locking the premises, Mutereko advised the complainant through his assistant to contact her if he needed assistance in getting the premises opened.

The complainant then called Mutereko on the evening of the same date and was informed that she could facilitate the cancellation of the ticket for only US$20.

The following morning the complainant handed his assistant US$20 to give to Mutereko.

“When the assistant contacted her advising that he had been given US$20 she advised him that the amount was too little considering that the ticket issued was for US$290 and she told the assistant to advise the complainant that she needed US$60 to facilitate the reopening of the premises.

“The complainant then contacted the accused person who advised him that without US$60 she would not open the complainant’s premises.

The complainant then made a report to ZACC and a trap authority was applied for and granted leading to the accused’s arrest on May 17, 2023 after receiving US$60 trap money in US$20 denominations,” ZACC said.

Mutereko is expected to appear in court today facing allegations of extortion.