Crime Reporter
The increase in economic crimes that have become a threat to socio-economic development is a serious concern, senior Government official has said.
Addressing officers at the 2020 ZRP Staff College graduation ceremony in Harare last Friday, Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage Minister Kazembe Kazembe said economic saboteurs have been creating “artificial or miracle money”, which had been fuelling price increases.
Prices hikes were only tamed after the introduction of the foreign currency auction system.
Minister Kazembe challenged police officers to ensure that all those involved in economic crimes were brought to book.
Advertisement
“As Government and as a ministry, we have noted with great concern the rise in economic crimes which have become a threat to the socio-economic development of our nation.
“Economic saboteurs have in recent times been busy creating millions of dollars of phantom money, which was fuelling the incessant price hikes of goods and services.
“This was bedevilling the economy and causing untold suffering to the people of Zimbabwe,” he said.
Some of the economic saboteurs have had their bank accounts frozen by the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe.
Minister Kazembe said it was critical to continuously up-skill police officers given the changing environment.
Last Friday, 350 officers graduated with diplomas and certificates at the ZRP Staff College.
Only 16 officers attended the event while others graduated virtually in line with Covid-19 restrictions.
Some of the courses they covered included Diploma in Business Management, Diploma in Law, Diploma in Adult Education and certificates in Training Methods, Public Prosecution, Law and Policing and Traffic Management.
“For this reason, law enforcement agencies the world over have established institutions of higher learning either in the form of police academies, colleges and even universities.
“All these efforts are aimed at exposing police officers to various capacity development programmes so that they keep abreast with the ever-changing policing environment,” he said.
Advertisement
Minister Kazembe said he was confident that the courses will equip graduates with skills that will assist in outwitting criminals who do not tire in exploring new mechanisms of making their illicit dealings more sophisticated to unravel.
– HERALD
