HARARE - The Movement for Democratic Change(MDC) is following up on all reported cases of its more than 200 members who were murdered by Zanu (PF) militia last year during political violence. (Pictured: Zanu (PF) militia last year during political violence)We have more than 200 people who were killed last year and some of the cases were reported while a few were not, and we have since dispatched a team to investigate by way of making follow-ups to those police stations and hear what the police is saying about the cases”, said an official.
“We do not see the reason why the police should not act on reported cases if they have received them. The team which we have tasked to make these follow- ups is going to report to the police those cases which were not reported after investigating them. Yes its true that some of the cases were not reported to the police…”
However a woman who lost a husband said: Its not true that we did not report the murders. I personally reported the murder of my husband at Mtawatawa police station nothing has materialized since last year.
“We know the reason why the police did not act on our reports because some of the uniformed members were involved in these brutal killings and we cannot expect such people to carry investigations since they themselves are the perpetrators.
According to the MDC security department: Names of the murderers were supplied by local people, some of them who say most of the killers operated within their rural homes especially soldiers.
We are also told by villagers that the same perpetrators are threatening them and boasting that they are immune to prosecution, and are leading the new bases which have emerged.
The MDC has also challenged the police to quickly react on the case of its Mashonaland West Provincial driver Joshua Bakacheza, who was killed in June last year before the party vehicle he was driving was hijacked by his murderers.
We are worried by this dilly dallying by the police on this case which happened last year. Justice should prevail and perpetrators should be brought to book and we wonder why the police is reacting in such a manner. However we will not rest and want to get to the bottom of the matter and in this case we are very patient, said an official.
Bakacheza was killed by unidentified armed people on 25 June 2008, near Jaggers Masasa in Harare.
It is reported that he was transferring the family of yet another victim of the political violence, slain MDC activist Tonderai Ndira, from his Mabvuku home to a safer destination.
He was approached by armed men who threw away Mrs Ndira and her two-year old baby out of the vehicle. His body was discovered later dumped in a bush area near Beatrice more than 50 km south of Harare.
The party is inviting members of the public who might have information about the killing to contact the nearest police station.