SEVERAL revellers at three popular night clubs in the central business district in Bulawayo were allegedly walloped silly by gun-toting members of the CID homicide section between midnight Sunday and early hours of Monday.
The trigger-happy officers, who probably smelt blood after being taken to task by their superiors in the wake of an upsurge in the incidents of robberies in the city, reportedly fired several rounds of ammunition in the air as they dispersed revellers winding up the festive season.
The officers, some reportedly brandishing AK rifles and other assault weapons, abused innocent and defenceless citizens on the pretext they were on a mission to smoke out criminals who had attempted to rob shops at Sekusile shopping centre in Nkulumane.
One club owner said it was like a scene from the movies or war zones as some officers reportedly fired shots into the air while sitted in the backs of Isuzu trucks.
The offending officers need to be told in no uncertain terms their actions on Sunday night are unacceptable.
To all intents and purposes, the detectives grossly abused their positions to assault and strike fear in the hearts of revellers whose only crime was to enjoy themselves.
With this seemingly lackadaisical performance of the detectives in tracking armed robbers, they indeed deserve a hard knock on the knuckles.
Stories abound some officers target certain night clubs and spare others allegedly with close links to the police. Certain unlicensed outlets are allowed to operate until 5am without police forcibly shutting them down as has been the case with The Lounge and Lagondola.
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Certain shebeens in and around the city are allowed to operate 24 hours with some officers known to be regular patrons.
Police Commissioner-General Augustine Chihuri set up a commission of inquiry into the incident which saw his officers beat up revellers and harass licensed night club owners and their staff.
