B-Metro Reporter
A police officer stationed at Bulawayo Central Police Station has been arrested for allegedly duping desperate passport seekers of their money amounting to US$440 and R600.
Sergeant Prosper Madzokera (36) reportedly targeted passport seekers from outside Bulawayo.
A source at the registrar’s offices in Bulawayo said Madzokera used his ZRP uniform to deceive passport seekers as he would tell them that they had to trust him since he was a police officer.
The source said Madzokera would come early in the morning to the registrar’s offices and wait by the gate while looking for desperate passport seekers.
“For quite a while he has not been going to work as he has been frequenting our workplace. He would approach mainly those people who would have come from the rural areas and tell them he had connections at the passport issuing offices,” said the source.
Speaking to B-Metro, one of the victims who identified himself as Dube, and said was from Lupane explained how he was allegedly duped by Madzokera.
“I arrived at the registrar’s office at around 6.30am last Tuesday and the queue was already long. While I was standing by the gate Madzokera came to me and told me he could assist me by getting my passport processed quickly.
“He said that I had to give him US$120 and R200 which he said was for processing. I gave him that amount and he disappeared,” said Dube.
Another victim who also identified himself as Joel and said he was from Ascot Extension in Gweru said while he was in the queue to submit his passport application forms Madzokera approached him and said he could quickly process the passport for him.
“He told me that he was deployed there and he was well connected and he could help me get my application quickly processed. I believed him as he was in a police uniform and he even showed me his police identity card,” said Joel.
He added: “He then demanded US$130 and R200 which he said was for administration and I gave him.
He promised to give me a receipt after an hour but he never returned. I then reported the matter at Bulawayo Central Police Station.”
Another victim who requested not to be named and said he was from Nkayi, lamented: “He approached me and promised to help me process the passport as soon as possible. I then gave him US$130 and R200 which he said accompanied the application.
“He later returned and demanded US$50 and said it’s for urgent processing of the passport. After that I never saw him. When I realised that I had been duped that is when I reported the matter to the police.”
Efforts to get a comment from national police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi were fruitless.
Madzokera is expected to appear in court soon facing fraud charges.
