Man in court for impersonating Zacc officer

Michael Mashiri

A man from Greendale, Harare, who allegedly lied that he was a Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission official after being caught by Harare Municipality traffic officers for dangerous parking, has been taken to court.

Lanky Chikoti, 44, of Greendale, in Harare appeared before magistrate Stanford Mambanje at the Harare Magistrates’ Courts charged with impersonating a public official.

He was ordered to appear in court on April 16.

The State, through prosecutor Anesu Chirenje, alleges that on March 12, officials from City of Harare Traffic section were on duty at corner Fife Avenue and Leopold Takawira when they saw a Mercedes Benz dangerously parked along Fife Avenue.

It is alleged that one of the traffic officers approached Chikoti, intending to arrest him for violating Harare Traffic by-laws.

The officer told Chikoti that he was impounding his car his car since it was parked in violation of City of Harare by-laws.

Chikoti then told the officer that he could not seize his car since he was a Zacc officer on duty.

Chikoti went on to flash an identity card at the officer who the requested to see it.

The officer then told Chikoti that he wanted to confirm with his superior who was about 50 metres away.

The superior then sought clarification with Zacc who said they did not know Chikoti.

It is alleged that, after Chikoti realised that he had been caught, he ran to his Mercedes Benz and started the engine intending to escape, but the officer came and switched off the car through the window.

He tried to run away, but was caught by another City of Harare officer in a corridor close to a bar along Fife Avenue.

The Harare Traffic officers then handed over the accused to Zacc.