The Sunday News
Thupeyo Muleya, Beitbridge Bureau
A Beitbridge man has been arrested for masquerading as a security officer for one year and three months, collecting bribes ranging from R300 to R500 from buses in the border town.
Beitbridge
Gabriel Chirenga (35) was arrested by members of the National Security Task Force (NTF), a crack team that was deployed to the border with South Africa to curb increasing crime.
Chirega is alleged to have impersonated members of the team and has been collecting bribes ranging from R300 to R500 from buses at Dulivhadzimu Long Distance Bus Terminus since March last year.
The accused was arrested on Friday evening after pouncing on four buses at the same bus terminus.
He is accused of having bullied the bus crew members after purporting to be a member of the NTF’s team.
National police spokesperson, Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said Chirenga had been charged with impersonation.
He said intensive investigations were in progress and that more charges would be added in due course.
“We are investigating a case where the suspect since last year been impersonating security officers in Beitbridge.
He would move around the bus terminus in Beitbridge until he was arrested on Friday.
We will release more information at a later stage.”
Chirenga appeared before Beitbridge magistrate Miss Annia Chimweta yesterday facing charges of impersonation.
He was remanded in custody to 8 July pending trial.
Cases of people impersonating security agents in Beitbridge have become common.
A few weeks ago, a Mutare man was arrested for impersonating a police officer and trying to incite border jumpers to revolt against members of the NTF who had arrested them at an illegal crossing point.
