Cops Arrested Over Bus Teargas
Seven police officers who deployed tear smoke in a loaded bus near Harare Exhibition Park bus have been arrested.
The officers were heavily criticised when videos of the bus saturated with teargas started circulating on social media.
Passengers started jumping off the bus through the windows risking injury on landing with most ladies struggling.
Elderly women were forced to literally fall off the bus, landing into the busy side of Samora Machel Road whilst the police crew that has since been arrested looked on.
Taking to its twitter page yesterday, the Ministry of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services confirmed the incident saying the seven were set to appear in court.
“Govt has been made aware of an incident at Harare Show Grounds where a team of 7 officers have been arrested for deploying tear smoking in an occupied bus.
“They will face charges,” the Ministry wrote.
The ministry also confirmed the arrest of the bus crew.
“The bus crew was also arrested as the bus in question was being driven by a tout,” read the tweet.
Children were also in the bus and this brought the ire of onlookers who started shouting at the police crew that has since been arrested.
Allegations on one of the videos pointed to one of the female police officers as the one who threw a teargas canister into the bus.
One of the police officers rushed to help an elderly lady who was about to fall head-first almost two metres from the window.
Another police officer was also seen visibly affected by the teargas smoke, presumably after going into the bus to help the children.
A male passenger is also seen almost walking into the busy Samora Machel traffic unaware of the danger associated with his movements as he was dizzy from the effects of the teargas. An alert police officer pulled him to safety.
Onlookers could be heard shouting at the police crew that was standing by their truck near the smoking bus clearly stating how unwise it was to throw teargas into an environment as locked up as a bus.
The bus was labelled Rimbi Tours and its crew was also arrested as the driver was not legitimate. The statement from the ministry described him as a tout.
