CCTV nails 6 corrupt Zimra officials

A border official close to the case said Dumbu and Gotosa were picked up by the Ferret squad soon after allegedly collecting the money from two travellers.

The Ferret squad is made up of various security agents at the border including Zimra and Immigration officials.

“We picked them up soon after receiving the money which was concealed in two passports. Investigations are still in progress and they will soon appear in court,” said the official.

A fortnight ago, two members of the Police Support Unit were picked up by detectives from the Border Control Unit collecting money from illegal immigrants who were leaving and entering the country.

The official added that two Zimra officials had also fallen victim to the CCTVs when they were seen collecting money from smugglers.

Matabeleland South police spokesperson Inspector Philisani Ndebele said he was yet to get information on the arrest of the immigration officers.

Home Affairs Minister Dr Ignatius Chombo said during a recent visit to Beitbridge Border Post that the Government had secured $600,000 that would be used in mobilising resources to curb corruption at the port of entry.

He said corruption was affecting the Government’s revenue collection capacity.

The Minister, who heads a Cabinet crack team set up to look into operations and reduce smuggling activities, said the country is losing a lot of potential revenue through underhand deals at the ports of entry.

Other members of the inter-ministerial team include the Ministers of Finance and Economic Development, Mines and Mining Development, Environment Water and Climate, Industry and Commerce, and Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development.

He said so far they had bought motorbikes and vehicles for patrols along the boundary line.

“Lie detectors have also been acquired so that we curb corruption among border workers,” the Minister said.

Dr Chombo said they were working on setting up a new border perimeter fence to replace the one that was vandalised by criminals.

“Mobile scanners and luggage scanners are now in use and we will do everything in our power in order to increase the revenue collection capacity.

“It’s sad that Zimra is collecting $800,000 against a daily average of $1,2 million,” he said.

He said soon they will introduce polygraph machines that will see workers at the border being subjected to lie detector tests which is the norm internationally.