The family of Crispen Mandizvidza, who was brutally assaulted by Zanu (PF) supporters during a constitutional outreach meeting in the Harare high-density suburb of Mbare last Sunday, said they had pointed out the suspected murderers to the police who have however refused to take action.
A spokesman for the family, Itai Mashiri, said the police had instead harassed mourners gathered at the Mandzvidza home and had also turned on the MDC activists friends who were present when he was attacked and also incurred injuries.
The police are apparently accusing Mandizvidzas friends of murdering him, forcing some of the friends to go into hiding fearing arrest.
Mashiri said: We do not why the police are refusing to arrest the people (murder suspects). We have seen them walking scot-free, while people who were beaten along with him have gone into hiding. The police are refusing to even question the (suspected) murderers.
MDC-T Harare provincial secretary Taurai Marima said his party was not surprised by the polices behaviour in the Mandizvidza case, adding that the police have refused to attended to several other cases in which MDC have been attacked.
We are not surprised by the police actions. Scores of our supporters have told us that they were beaten in the presence of the police. We do not know what to do. Our members who are the victims end up being the accused, said Mashiri.
Police spokesman Wayne Bvudzijena was not immediately available for comment on the matter.
Tsvangirais party and human rights groups have in the past accused the police of routinely arresting victims of political violence while letting the perpetrators who are members of Zanu (PF) and pro-President Robert Mugabe war veterans going scot-free
The global political agreement (GPA) that gave birth to Zimbabwes power-sharing agreement commits the coalition government to reform and restructure the countrys security forces including the police.
But Mugabe has steadfastly blocked any calls or attempt to reform or restructure the security forces that have backed his three-decade rule.
Post published in: News