A police informant who exposed smuggling syndicates involving politicians, security agents, and Zimbabwe Revenue Authority officials was recently assaulted by members of the Military Intelligence Department (MID) manning the Plumtree border post.
According to the Newsday, Charles Chashamba, from Cowdray Park, gave tip-offs to police on smuggling syndicates that involve prominent ruling and opposition parties’ politicians, army and police bosses and Zimra officials (names supplied).
Police acted on some of his tip-offs to bust some of the smuggling rings that have cost government millions of dollars.
Narrating his ordealChashamba claims that on March 2 he was assaulted and robbed by soldiers on patrol at the border accusing him of exposing their shenanigans. Said Chashamba:
“I was greeted by two Zimra guys as I was heading out after two army intelligence officers requested to see my passport and found it to be in order. I left the border intending to board lifts to Bulawayo. They (intelligence officers) followed me and asked for my passport again saying they wanted to verify something,” he said, adding that they did not bring it back until the border was closed.
“They came at around 11pm and searched me before taking my 200 pula, bags and went away after assaulting me. I then walked and slept in a bushy area until early morning when I got transport into Plumtree town where I made a police report, but up to now nothing has been done,” he said.
National police spokesperson, Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed that Chashamba was a police informant who has helped the police force to arrest smuggling syndicates, he also said investigations were underway.
-Newsday
