A POLICEMAN has landed himself in trouble after allegedly soliciting for a US$5 bribe in order to process fingerprints.
Moses Kainga is being charged with criminal abuse of office.
The State alleges that on February 7, Kainga was deployed at the CID headquarters main gate to assist walk-in clients when he met Chikarango Mandaza who wanted to have his wife’s fingerprints processed.
Kainga allegedly started frustrating the process by instructing Mandaza to go back to the station where the fingerprints were taken.
He allegedly solicited for US$5 from Mandaza in order for him to receive the finger prints and process them, but the complainant left.
Mandaza and his wife allegedly went to report the incident to an anti-corruption non-governmental organisation, Transparency International, which helped them report the matter to CID headquarters.
A trap was then set for Kainga.
It is further alleged that while working in cahoots with the police, Mandaza at a later date went back to the police station and met Kainga.
He allegedly gave him a US$5 note before collecting his wife’s processed fingerprints. The transaction was being monitored from a distance by detectives.
The court heard that after Kainga received the money, the police officer who had set the trap arrested him while he still had the money in his hand.
Lynette Gwarisa prosecuted for the State.
