Zimbabwe: Police Officers Arrested for Taking Bribes from Diggers

Zimbabwe has arrested an unspecified number of police officers for taking bribes from illegal miners to allow them to continue panning for diamonds. As reported by IndependentOnline, the officers were taken to Harare’s top-security prison after being arrested in the Chiadzwa diamond fields, the site of a huge diamond rush that began last year.

Although the police have been given orders to seal off the area, there have been suspicions of some officers having taken bribes of between 1 and 2 million Zimbabwe dollars ($4,000-$8,000) from illegal panners.

A police spokesperson said that the culprits would be dealt with “mercilessly.” Assistant Police Commissioner Obert Benge confirmed the arrests and commented, saying, “We should be worried about civilians, not police officers. They can break the law at their own peril. They should all know the song by now.”

The officers were reportedly allowing the panners to dig in areas believed to hold diamonds and then transport the ore elsewhere.