Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) have confirmed that social media is having an impact on the investigations in the US$4 million Ecobank Bulawayo Heist armed robbery that went viral recently on social media.
Speaking at a breakfast meeting held in Harare between the Zimbabwe Republic Police, the Zimbabwe Media Commission and media leaders , police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said that social media misinformation had impacted the investigations into the US$4 million Ecobank armed robbery in Bulawayo.
“The police have not yet confirmed or given information of the suspect of the robbery, but information has spread that one of the suspects was killed, and his name still appears on the suspects list of the robbers,” Paul Nyathi stated.
“This has bearing on the investigations, it has an impact on the relatives of those whose identities are involved,” he said.
“As law enforcement, we implore Zimbabwe Media Commissions and media executives to identify strategies for eliminating citizen journalism’, Nyathi said.
“We urge the media to help us fight against armed robberies and other issues to do with drug and substance abuse,” Nyathi said.
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Professor Ruby Magosvongwe, the chairperson of the Zimbabwe Media Commission, praised the positive collaboration between the Zimbabwe Republic Police and the media.
“Since the introduction of the Zimbabwe Republic Police open-door policy for the media, our working relationship has improved in terms of combating issues to do with crime,” Professor Magosvongwe said.
“As the media board we are happy that this relationship will continue to cherish between media players and the police,” She said.