Death in the hands of the police
Police officers were among the main perpetrators of human rights violations in Mashonaland
East.
The police were the perpetrators of forty percent of the human rights violations that ZPP
recorded this month.
In one of the cases, police officers at Chivhu in Chikomba district tortured a woman to death
during interrogations on 12 September.
She was suspected of withholding money allegedly stolen by her younger sister who had been
arrested in Harare.
According to an autopsy shown to the ZPP, the deceased, Sharai Mukaro, suffered massive
pericardial clot, had large amounts of blood in the upper mediastinum (which contains the
heart, thymus gland, portions of the esophagus and trachea, and other structures), and had
raptures in the area of the aorta.
In other words, she had a lot of internal bleeding in the area around her heart and that could
have resulted in her death.
There is no record of any procedures being undertaken against the offending police officers.
This is not the first case of people dying in the hands of the police.
Last year Eugene Marangwanda, who was in police custody over murder, died and the post
mortem he had died from being assaulted by police at Bindura Police Station. Marangwanda’s
widow, Catherine Wazvaremhaka and her three children, in June began court procedures to
are jointly suing Police Commissioner Gideon Matanga and Home Affairs minister Kazembe
Kazembe.
In March 2021, Tatenda Pasinyore was arrested on undisclosed charges and witness statements
indicate that he was subjected to a brutal assault by arresting police officers, which led to his
death.
In 2019, a vendor Hilton Tamangani died in police detention at Harare Central Police.
ZPP calls on the police to act within their mandate when dealing with suspects. The
Constitution clearly outlines the procedures to be undertaken during the investigation of a
crime.
Torture should be a punishable crime and we call on the Homa Affairs ministry to ensure that
perpetrators be brought to book in order to infuse confidence into the criminal and justice
system of the country.
3.1.7 Mashonaland West
The political environment in Mashonaland West has been tense during the month of
September.
Zanu PF activists including coordinating officers and councillors have been coercing
villagers to attend party meetings telling them that they will be removed from social
welfare and inputs registers for not attending these meetings.
Zanu PF activists were reported to be forcing villagers not to associate with MDC Alliance
activists and villagers who do not attend meetings.
Citizens from both rural and urban areas in Mashonaland West were victims of political
rights violations, intimidation and harassment as they were being forced to vote for local
structure leaders. Villagers and teachers from rural areas are being coerced to attend Zanu
PF meetings.
The meetings were characterised by intimidation and threats as opposition supporters are
being targeted and sometimes told to denounce their political affiliation.