Errant police warned

ERRANT police officers who are in the habit of endangering people’s lives by smashing windscreens from vehicles will face the music and pay for their recklessness, the government has warned.

Police officers have been accused of endangering commuters’ lives by chasing after errant commuter omnibus drivers and smashing vehicle windows.

On Tuesday, a police officer was manhandled in central Harare by a mob and accused of “killing a child” after smashing a kombi window. It emerged later the baby was neither killed nor injured.

Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage Minister Kazembe Kazembe on Thursday said: “My ministry strongly condemns acts of misconduct by police officers which tarnish the image of the government and the police in particular.

“I have directed the Commissioner-General of Police (Godwin Matanga) to take stern action against these and any other errant police officers.” .

He also warned the police against the smashing of vehicle windows in their quest to bring to book unlawful commuter omnibus crews.

“My ministry does not condone the smashing of vehicle windscreens or windows by police officers. The Commissioner General of Police has assured me that this message will be cascaded to all police commanders for the conscientisation of their members.”

Kazembe, however, warned against circulation of information without proper facts by members of the public.

“On the other hand, I urge social media activists to be responsible and verify facts before jumping to conclusions.”

Social media was awash with videos and reports that a child died after being struck by a police officer enforcing lockdown regulations in Harare.

However, police reports confirmed that the child and mother were hit by fragments of the smashed windscreen and taken to West End Clinic, where medical experts established that the child had no injuries.