via Police chief jailed Sunday, 19 January 2014 by Freeman Razemba Sunday Mail
Police Assistant Commissioner Gideon Baloyi has been sentenced to an effective nine months in prison by a Harare magistrate for what the Police Act terms indiscipline.
Chief police spokesperson Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba confirmed the case yesterday but could not divulge much details.
“On January 17, 2014, Assistant Commissioner Gideon Baloyi appeared before a Magistrate facing a charge of contravening paragraph 35 of the schedule to the Police Act Chapter 11:10 as read with Sections 29,29A and 34 (1) of the said Act, “Acting in any manner prejudicial to good order or indiscipline or reasonably likely to bring discredit to the force”,” she said.
Snr Asst Comm Charamba said Baloyi was found guilty and was sentenced to 12-months in prison but three-months were suspended on condition of good behaviour.
“The ZRP would like to reiterate that indiscipline has no role in the organisation. We will stop at nothing to expose any individual who discredits the good image of the force despite their rank,” she said.
The incident comes after thirty-three traffic police officers from Avondale Police Station in Harare were last week transferred to other bases allegedly because of “intolerable corruption levels.”
The officer-in-charge was also transferred. The rot at the police station came to light when one of the accused policemen solicited a US$50 bribe from a motorist.
The motorist lodged a complaint and the ZRP’s internal investigations team swiftly reacted but the money was not recovered. It was recommended that all the officers be transferred.
Snr Ass Comm Charamba last week highlighted that the police will take a hard line stance towards corruption.
“The organisation would like to emphasise that where acts of corruption are reported, the organisation will swiftly descend on the culprits and sternly take appropriate disciplinary measures.”
She said a raft of “radical razor edge” internal disciplinary measures, supervisory and monitoring mechanisms were now in place to deal with misconduct within the force.
“The upshot of the measures is that the organisation will not put any acts of misconduct involving dishonesty on a scale before dismissal.
“The approach in terms of the new measures will be that any proven acts of misconduct involving dishonesty of any nature will result in instant dismissal of the errant members,” she said.
She said this was different from the past where the force was constrained by a graduated legal and bureaucratic process. She said the Police Service Commission as part of the disciplinary chain does not condone corruption of any nature and had endorsed the stance and measures taken by the force.
COMMENTS
Is what you are saying Charity Hofa provided for in the police act , I wonder . It seems you playing to the gallery .
This woman is a stooge im not too sure anything she says carries weight. They say once you have been lying for so long after a while you start to believe your own lies, clearly this is the case with this puppet.
true dat
Fire all the rotten police officers Sir Chihuri. That job is a job of trust
ZRP is not serious about corruption within its ranks. Which roadblock does not take money from the public without issuing receipts. Have you observed that most commuters have no relevant papers whilst there are so many roadblocks. Why is that all commuters are stopped every morning and only the conductor goes to speak to the police without them checking the vehicle. Why would a police officer use a personal vehicle to carry police officers to a roadblock at his own expense. The vehicle is always parked a distance away from the roadblock.Of all the civil servants the police tops in buying cars is that they are well pd.
The cops are keeping all the money taken from traffic offences and this in itself is institutional the theft. The whole concept of any fine is that it must be surrendered to the state and the disbursement controlled by ZIMRA. Fire Chihuri and everyone downwards for the top 10 layers of authority.
We the public must help to root out this corruption by not encouraging them.There is NO mandatory payment of spot fines in this country,therefore all motorists must refuse to pay until an official ticket is given to you to pay later at any police station.This gives you time to check the details of the fine in the SI booklets which every police station keeps in the country.Do not allow to be cheated by these misguided criminals.I totally respect roadblocks which carryout proper vehicle road worthiness for public safety protection.
Surely the title is wrong: it should be, “Police thief jailed.”
What crime did he commit?indiscipline and corruptions are umbrella terms what exaclty did he do?
The fines are just too exorbitant. If they were reasonable offenders would just pay the fines. From a $20 ticket a police would accept $8 bribe. Look at toll gates you can’t bribe Zimra officer to avoid paying $1.
Charamba should b investigated she is a pathetic liar kuenda ku roman catholic zvenhema..God wil punish her…nonsense