Police officer in court for mounting fake roadblock

A POLICE officer suspected to be part of a syndicate fleecing unsuspecting motorists along Herbert Chitepo Avenue and Leopold Takawira Street in central Harare by mounting a fake roadblock has been arrested and appeared in court yesterday.

Fabiano Crynot (32), who is currently on suspension, is facing abuse of office charges. He was caught wearing a police uniform and in the middle of trying to solicit money from a woman motorist whom the team at the roadblock had stopped for using a cellphone while driving.

She was rescued when a routine police internal investigations team passing-by on the other side of the road stopped to investigate.

Crynot appeared before Harare magistrate Mr Dennis Mangosi who remanded him in custody pending bail application today.

Prosecutor Ms Grace Mugocheke alleged that Crynot connived with three others still at large and mounted an unsanctioned traffic law enforcement roadblock at the corner of Hebert Chitepo Avenue and Leopold Takawira Street. Crynot was in police uniform while his accomplices were wearing smart casual.

The accused persons stopped a Nissan X-Trail which was being driven by Annie Masvaure and told her that she was under arrest for driving whilst using a cellphone and they were impounding her motor vehicle.

Crynot jumped on the passenger seat while the others remained outside. He told Ms Masvaure that he was taking her to his superior who was going to take the motor vehicle to Vehicle Inspection Depot in Belvedere where Ms Masvaure would pay US$157 per day as a storage fee and the motor vehicle was to be impounded for two weeks.

When Crynot was busy talking to Ms Masvaure, members from police internal investigations who were on patrol approached the other three accused persons who then fled the scene.

Crynot, who was inside the motor vehicle wearing a police uniform, was arrested on the spot.