CORRUPT TRAFFIC COPS SLAMMED
MOTORISTS in Lusaka have complained against traffic police officers hiding at ‘strategic points’ on some roads in the capital city to catch erring motorists from whom they demand bribes.
Some motorists complained that it was against the rules for officers to hide at certain places such as traffic lights or rumps to trap motorists from whom they later ask for bribes before handing back the vehicles to the owners. Several victims of such encounters with the police complained that they had their licences grabbed and later publicly ordered to pay the officers something for them to release their vehicles and licences.
One motorist from Matero narrated how police last Saturday waylaid motorists at the traffic lights near City Market on Lumunba Road and impounded his vehicle and several others while ignoring the chaos caused by minibus drivers, over defec- tive traffic lights.
Said the motorist: “I tried to explain to this elderly female cop that the minibus drivers were causing obstruction by blocking the road but the woman was uncompromising and instead went ahead to impound my vehicle and grabbed my licence.”
He said he was shocked that the officer later asked for K350 saying it’s either he parked the vehicle at City Market police station or he paid the money for him to go. The motorist said when he told the police officer he had no money she replied: “mulinazingati (how much do you have?”) “When I told her I only had a K50, she quickly snatched it from my hand and gave me back my licence.”
He said even the other motorists whose vehicles had been impounded at the same time as his hinted that they were asked to pay amounts ranging from K50 to K350 before being given back their licences.
“It’s even annoying that when they catch you over an offence for which you can be reprimanded they ask you to follow them at the police station where they shamelessly ask for a bribe for them to release your licence and car,” said another victim, a motorist from Kabwata.
A female motorist complained that she was forced to pay K100 before her licence could be given back to her.
She said it was disappointing that traffic officers had resorted to hiding on the roads to catch motorists instead of just carrying out normal patrol routines on roads. It’s so inconveniencing… they don’t care about keeping time or whether someone has an important and urgent assignment, they will just tell you to park at their offices where in some cases they even start drinking tea until you part with money,” she said.
The complaints by motorist come against a backdrop of corruption allegations and persistent public criticism about the unprofessional manner the service was operating.