Harare Central Police Fire: Three Cops Arrested After US$40 000 Vanished During The Inferno
Last Saturday, a raging fire broke out at the Harare Central Police Station, leaving the community in disbelief and raising questions when US$40,000 mysteriously disappeared from the exhibit room.
Three police officers, ages 46, 43, and 36, were taken into custody after the incident and are now being charged with crimes linked to the fire and the missing money. As the inquiry continued, the three cops were charged before the Harare Magistrates Court.
The fire, which reportedly started in the early hours of the morning, is believed to have originated within the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the police station.
The flames quickly spread, causing damage to exhibits and documents housed within the CID offices, including that of the officer commanding Harare province, Commissioner Wonder Tembo.
The fire’s origin has ignited speculations about its cause, with an electrical fault being considered as one possible explanation.
Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi, the national police spokesperson, shed light on the situation, stating, “We are still assessing the amount of damage caused by the fire, and investigations with a view to finding out what exactly happened have started.” The police are currently working to determine whether the blaze was the result of an unfortunate accident or if it had more sinister origins.
As the authorities dealt with the aftermath of the fire, a startling revelation emerged: US$40,000 that had been stored in the exhibit room was nowhere to be found, Zimlive reports. This revelation led to further suspicion and the subsequent arrest of the three police officers who are now facing charges over the arson and the disappearance of the funds. The incident has shaken the trust in the police force and raised questions about the security and management of crucial evidence.
Intriguingly, reports suggest that the Harare Central Police Station had been grappling with a power outage for four days leading up to the fire. This has led to theories that the electrical fault might have contributed to the fire’s ignition. ZESA workers were observed attending to an electrical fault at the Charge Office bus terminus, potentially indicating a connection between the power outage and the fire’s origin.
As investigations unfold and authorities piece together the events that transpired on that fateful night, the Harare community remains both baffled and concerned about the integrity of its law enforcement agencies.
