FIVE AIRPORT OFFICIALS ARRESTED OVER BRIBERY ALLEGATIONS

By SBT | Crime and Courts

Five officials stationed at Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport have been arrested by the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) over allegations that they solicited bribes from travellers entering the country.

The suspects, comprising two Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) officers and three Ministry of Agriculture employees, are expected to appear in court on Thursday facing charges of criminal abuse of office.

In a statement, ZACC identified the suspects as Sithabiso Ncube (47), a detective sergeant, and Aquisilia Mbira (40), a detective constable, both attached to the ZRP. The other three are Norman Chepi (45), an inspector with the Ministry of Agriculture, Mechanisation and Water Resources Development, and Plant Health Assistants Ratidzo Danda (48) and Tafadzwa Ngwenya (44). The charges arise under the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act [Chapter 9:23].

According to ZACC, the investigation followed a tip-off from the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA) on Monday, 9 November 2026, alleging that officials and other stakeholders operating at the airport were unlawfully demanding money from returning residents and visitors entering the country. The commission said the suspects were subsequently arrested following a review of closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage from the ZIMRA Command Centre in Harare, together with random searches.

The searches allegedly resulted in the recovery of money in different currencies from the suspects' handbags and pockets. ZACC did not disclose the amounts recovered or provide further details of the alleged transactions in its initial statement.

The arrests raise fresh concerns about alleged corruption involving officials who interact directly with travellers at one of Zimbabwe's main international entry points. Airport officials from different government departments perform regulatory, security and inspection functions, making integrity and accountability essential to maintaining public confidence in border operations.

The five suspects are expected to appear in court on Thursday. They remain accused persons, and the allegations have yet to be tested before a court of law.

ZACC arrests airport officials