Agencia de Informacao de Mocambique (Maputo)
26 October 2009
Maputo — The Mozambican police arrested ten motorists in Maputo streets on Thursday, accused of attempting to bribe police officers to turn a blind eye to irregularities in their vehicles or their documents.
Some of the accused confessed to attempting to bribe the officers, and all the arrests have been formalized by a magistrate.
Maputo city police spokesperson Arnaldo Chefo, cited in Monday's issue of the Maputo daily "Noticias" said that these motorists were arrested during an ongoing operation to fight against corruption involving some drivers and some dishonest officers of the traffic police.
He said that measures have been adopted to discourage corruption among the traffic police, and if any case of corruption is detected, the offender is punished.
"We think that this fight against corruption cannot merely punish the police officer who receives the bribe, but also the motorist who offers it, because it is the motorists who promote such practices", said Chefo.
He said that the operation is still on, and he called upon the public at large to cooperate with the police, by denouncing any case of corruption they may come across in the streets.
Chefo added that by doing so, the public will help prevent road accidents. "Some vehicles are in very poor mechanical condition. These are vehicles with enormous difficulties, and they should be taken off the roads".
"Associated with this problem, some motorists drive vehicles without a drivers license or any other document that allows them to drive. In such cases, when the police officer looks the other way, takes the bribe, and allows the motorist to go on driving, he is contributing to an increase in the number of road accidents", Chefo said.
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