The Anti-Corruption Trust of Southern Africa (ACT-SA) has laid blame on Zimbabwe police authorities following the murder of the late ZANU PF activist Godfrey Manyanga at a night club in Kwekwe last Sunday morning.

Popularly known as Drado in local circles, the late Manyanga (37) reportedly died after having been attacked at Jacaranda night Club by the co-accused pair of a one Ony and another, a Nxonxo.

But speaking to Zwnews Tuesday afternoon, ACT-SA Director Obert Chinhamo said it was surprising that the late Manyanga met his demise at a night club despite a Covid19 induced ban on the operation of outlets that deal with the selling of liquor and other related beverages.

Chinhamo said the corrupt tendencies of the police were markedly rife especially during the current epoch of the coronavirus pandemic as officers are in the habit of flagrantly flouting set regulations by accepting bribes from proprietors of some night clubs and bars that illegally operate albeit the Government ban.

“I blame the police for giving a blind eye on the illegal operations of that night club (Jacaranda) where a murder case was reported,” Chinhamo told our reporter.

He added:

“Such acts of corruption are not only confined to officers from Kwekwe and the ZRP national headquarters is vicariously liable because the name that is being put into disrepute because of such despicable tendencies is that of the police. Now, this is where corruption has got us: loss of precious human lives”.

This publication also has it on good authority that ACT-SA recently implored on Kwekwe District Development Chairperson (DDC) Fortune Mupungu to take action after it emerged that the police were unjustifiably giving preferential treatment to some bars that were being controlled by members of the Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA).

“At the peak of the Covid19 pandemic, you may find that some bars were operating hassle-free as cops tasked to enforce those lockdown measures were not taking action on the bars that were prepared to bribe them and those under the proprietorship of, especially members of the ZNA,” he said.

Efforts to get a comment from  national police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi could not immediately bear fruit during the time of publishing last night.

Zwnews