(Last Updated on January 4, 2021 by GERALD NCUBE)
HARARE – Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) Commissioner-General Godwin Matanga has suspended four police officers for failing to perform their duties after they failed to stop the New Year’s Eve concert in Mbare which violated set Covid-19 protocols.
Police Spokesperson, Senior Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed the suspensions of the officers pending disciplinary action.
The suspension comes after the police have conducted some investigations into the potential super-spreader event that was hosted in Mbare.
“The Zimbabwe Republic Police confirms that Superintendent Innocent Makumbe, Inspector Garikayi Jiyane (Officer-In-Charge, Matapi), Inspector Nyarai Gunhe (Duty Officer) and Assistant Inspector Vengai Mupamhanga (Duty member) have been suspended from Police duties by Commissioner-General of Police pending disciplinary action.
“Investigations conducted have revealed that the senior officer and duty members did not perform their duties according to police set standards and Government’s Covid-19 regulations in handling the Mbare musical bash held by Dj Fantan and his associates on 31st December 2020,” said Nyathi.
The Mbare bash raised a lot of eyebrows as the public questioned how such an event was allowed to happen in the middle of a pandemic when the Government had banned gatherings and such parties.
Citizens were also irked by the fact that police seemed to not know of the event when it happened just a few meters away from Matapi Police Station.
Feeling the pressure, the police reacted and made several arrests in connection with the said bash while one of it’s key organisers, Dj Fantan was said to be on the run.
However, emerging reports said he was arrested yesterday and was subsequently detained.