In
a
statement,
the
council
identified
the
individual
as
Farai
Garachani,
a
former
Harare
Metropolitan
Police
patrolman
who
was
dismissed
earlier
this
year
for
similar
extortion
offences.
The
statement
reads:
“A
rogue
element
causing
mayhem
in
the
Harare
CBD,
pretending
to
be
a
parking
attendant
and
extorting
money
from
residents,
has
been
unmasked.“His
name
is
Farai
G
Garachani,
a
former
Harare
Metropolitan
Police
Patrolman
who
was
dismissed
from
the
City
of
Harare
early
this
year
for
extorting
residents.“It
has
come
to
our
attention
that
there
is
a
gang
of
criminals
masquerading
as
municipal
police
officers
who
are
threatening
and
harassing
residents.“Authorities
have
been
alerted
with
a
view
to
arresting
and
prosecuting
the
suspects.“We
call
upon
anyone
who
may
have
fallen
victim
to
this
man
and
his
gang
to
immediately
report
to
the
police
and
municipal
authorities.“We
take
this
opportunity
to
thank
the
residents
who
continue
to
expose
such
criminal
elements.“The
City
of
Harare
urges
residents
to
be
vigilant
and
continue
exposing
and
reporting
such
transgressions.“All
municipal
police
must
adequately
identify
themselves
and
must
wear
uniforms
at
all
times.”
In
a
related
development,
journalist
Hopewell
Chin’ono
said
a
friend
of
his
encountered
two
men
on
Sunday
who
were
posing
as
parking
attendants. He
wrote
on
X:
“They
approached
her
and
claimed
she
was
parked
in
the
wrong
place.
They
asked
to
get
into
her
car
so
that
they
could
go
with
her
to
the
city
council
offices
to
pay
the
fine.“When
she
refused
to
let
them
into
her
car,
they
threatened
her
with
calling
a
towing
truck.“She
told
them
to
go
ahead
and
order
the
fictitious
tow
truck.
They
were,
of
course,
lying.“There
is
a
growing
criminal
racket
in
Harare
where
criminal
gangs
pose
as
parking
attendants
to
fleece
and
rob
people.“In
many
cases,
they
force
their
way
into
your
car
and
instruct
you
to
drive
to
the
council
offices
to
‘pay
a
fine’.
While
you
are
driving,
they
rob
you.
This
is
how
the
scam
works.“Do
not
allow
anyone
into
your
car.
Do
not
allow
people
pretending
to
be
parking
attendants
to
get
into
your
vehicle.”