The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) has arrested a total of 294 people across the country for refusing to accept bond notes.
Some of those arrested were brought before the courts while others were fined between $200 and $500 respectively.
Most of the bond notes are worn out as Zimbabweans generally hoard cash and are unwilling to deposit it with banks due to its scarcity.
In an interview with The Herald on Monday, national police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi urged members of the public to cooperate with police officers to ensure that bond notes continue to be accepted. He said:
Members of the public should cooperate with officers on patrols and conducting these checks.
We also want to warn some people who are victimising members of the public who are reporting to the police that they risk being arrested and face the full wrath of the law.
The public should also be aware that the police are there to enforce the country’s laws.
The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) introduced the bond note in 2016 ostensibly as an export incentive and to ease cash shortages.
Following the introduction of ‘real’ Zimbabwe dollars in 2019, members of the public have begun to shun the bond notes, a development that has worried authorities.
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