Is it a crime to drive a Toyota Wish?

THE Zimbabwe Republic Police’s operation against pirate taxis (Mushikashika) is laudable.

However, the manner in which the police are enforcing the operation has left many innocent motorists irate.

All of a sudden, it seems like it has become a crime for one to drive a Toyota Wish or a Honda Fit. Even when driving around with your family, police will accuse you of pirating, harass and demand money from you.

The thuggish treatment I was given by seemingly intoxicated police officers at Coca Cola intersection along Seke Road last Tuesday left me wondering if these were real policemen or robbers.

I was driving a Toyota Wish, in the company of my wife, her sister and my friend, when I was stopped in violent fashion at that intersection.

Before I could figure out what the problem was, the police officers had already opened the doors, and they were already beating the passengers with baton sticks.

They swarmed my vehicle threatening to smash my windscreen as if I had refused to follow their orders.

Seven officers entered my vehicle and ordered me to turn into Cripps Road.

One of them ordered me to pay them US$10 and I refused because I had no reason to. I laboured to explain to them the identity of my passengers until one of them ordered my release.

It then dawned on me that maybe it is now a crime to drive a Toyota Wish because you will be accused of pirating.

Does this mean all Toyota Wish vehicles are for Mushikashika?

My plea as an innocent Toyota Wish driver is that police should have a way of differentiating a pirate taxi from a family car.

The number of passengers in a Toyota Wish and the sitting arrangement can be indicators.

On Wednesday my friend who also owns a Toyota Wish suffered the same predicament when he was driving from Chitungwiza.

His vehicle was impounded and he had to pay a $10 000 fine.

His crime was that he had three passengers on board, who apparently were his wife, brother-in-law and a neighbour.