Bulawayo police will arrest bartenders selling alcohol to already intoxicated patrons as they seek to reduce alcohol-related accidents in the festive season.
The city’s police spokesperson Chief Inspector Precious Simango said under Zimbabwean law, it is a crime to sell drunk patrons more beer.
“It is a punishable offense to sell alcohol to a drunk person. A drunk person is intoxicated and is unable to make rational decisions therefore it is the responsibility of the seller to ensure that drunk patrons are protected from too much consumption and from themselves,” she said.
Chief Inspector Simango said the police will also be monitoring bars to ensure that they stick to the prescribed opening and closing hours.
She said the law enforcement agents will also be targeting bootleggers who sell alcohol illegally without liquor licenses.
“When a person is drunk, they still have to find their way home and we do not want situations of people lying all over passed out. We, therefore, call upon mangers and those in the liquor business top desist from selling to people in a drunken state. We also urge business owners who sell alcohol to adhere to opening and closing times,” she said.
