HARARE – A Harare teacher’s detailed social media complaint alleging harassment, intimidation, and attempted extortion by traffic police officers manning a roadblock directly outside Mbare Police Station has sparked public outrage and renewed scrutiny of police conduct.

In a lengthy post, the educator described an ordeal that began on Remembrance Drive, where her vehicle was abruptly impounded. The stated offence, according to her account, was a missing cover inside the boot of her car—a violation she questioned as grounds for impoundment.

“I was told that I had to pay a US$15 fine immediately, or leave my car at the station,” the teacher wrote. “When I explained that I did not have the money on the spot, they told me to make a plan. All hell broke loose when I told them that I did not have a plan.”

Her narrative escalated upon being taken to the station offices. She alleges an Officer in Charge, identified only as a male sergeant who refused to give his name, initiated the process. Inside, she says she encountered a “very unprofessional police lady” who subjected her to verbal abuse, including being told to “fokol” [a vulgar insult].

“I politely asked her name. She started shouting at me insisting that I should not ask her name,” the post continued. Requests to see a superior or to explain that she was a teacher with students waiting were dismissed with phrases like “it’s none of your business” and “go and look for him yourself.”

The post is however not clear if the teacher’s vehicle was released.

The incident raises serious questions about the proportionality of the penalty, the conduct of officers at their own station gate, and the alleged demand for an immediate cash payment.

Legal experts note that while police have the authority to enforce traffic laws, regulations around minor defects typically involve issuing a ticket or a Vehicle Inspection Order (VIO), not immediate impoundment and on-the-spot cash demands. The police’s own standard operating procedures emphasize professionalism and the right of the public to ascertain the identity of officers.

National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi is on record saying the police has a zero tolerance policy towards unrofessional conduct and corruption.

The post has been widely shared, with many citizens recounting similar experiences of alleged extortion and intimidation at roadblocks.

The case highlights the persistent public distrust of traffic enforcement methods in Zimbabwe, where allegations of bribes masquerading as fines are commonplace.