Police in Mashonaland West have arrested a 35-year-old woman from Chinhoyi who turned her house into a shebeen and butchery in violation of COVID-19 lockdown regulations.
Mirriam Watongwa was arrested on Wednesday and charged with operating a business establishment during the COVID-19 national lockdown, owning a shebeen and keeping and selling uninspected meat.
She is expected to appear in court soon.
Provincial police spokesperson, Inspector Margaret Chitove confirmed the arrest saying the suspect was arrested after a tip-off from the locals. She said:
Police reacted to a tip-off from the members of the public and raided house number 5591 White City high-density suburb around 2 pm. The few patrons who were imbibing managed to escape.
Inspector Chitove said police later searched the house and found nine crates of beer, 130 kg of carcass meat and two ox-heads.
She warned shebeen operators, illegal transport owners and those selling various wares along roads in contravention of lockdown regulations that they will be arrested.