The Sunday News
Sukulwenkosi Dube Plumtree Correspondent
TWO Plumtree police officers in the Criminal Investigation Department who are suspected to have been involved in a smuggling scam recently fled from security officers who wanted to search their vehicle at the border.
The two officers only identified as Detective A Shayamurandu and Detective P Nyamusa are also alleged to have tried to bribe one of the security officers with $5.
They fled from the border in the view of officers stationed at the gate on Monday last week.
One of the security officers who were manning the exit gate when the incident occurred said the two detectives were carrying some goods in their vehicle but they did not submit them for checking at the exit gate.
“The two detectives were coming from Botswana on Monday afternoon. They proceeded to the exit gate without having their goods checked.
“They were signalled to stop but instead they followed a truck that was leaving the border and they rushed out of the boom gate and fled from the border,” said the security officer.
A source in the police said the goods which were in the vehicle were not retrieved but the two detectives were scheduled for a disciplinary hearing.
“Shayamuranda and Nyamusa ran away in their vehicle and the goods which they were carrying were not retrieved.
“They were later taken in for questioning at the police station but they denied carrying any goods in their vehicle which has made it difficult for them to be charged with smuggling.
“Instead they are due for a disciplinary hearing and their charge is of behaving in a manner which might bring security forces into disrepute and for behaving in an unbecoming manner.
“They are also facing a charge of failing to comply with police instructions,” said the source.
“One of the security officers stationed at the border said the two detectives tried to offer them a $5 bribe in a bid to avert being searched.”
Matabeleland South acting provincial police spokesperson, Sergeant Thabani Mkhwananzi confirmed the incident which occurred on Monday and said investigations were still under way.
“I can confirm that we received a report of two members of the CID who are suspected to have been involved in a smuggling scam. We are still investigating the issue,” he said.
