Jaure was last Monday detained overnight at a police post at Chitungwiza Town Centre for allegedly parking his vehicle at a “black spot”.
Police officers assaulted him before detaining him overnight without levelling charges against him. The assault is now under investigation after Jaure’s lawyers from Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights intervened.
According to lawyers, Jaure was arrested and assaulted by police at around 6.30pm on Monday, 2 April, after being accused of parking his vehicle at a place described by the police as a black spot.
After pouncing on Jaure, police officers forcibly searched the former Commando’s vehicle, handcuffed him and dragged him to the police post at Chitungwiza Town Centre where they detained him overnight without charge.
Lawyers said the cuffs were so tight that Jaure suffered injuries on his wrist. “It was only in the morning of the next day when he was taken to Makoni Police Station where he was told that he was being charged for undermining police authority,” according to Kennedy Masiye, one of the lawyers who intervened.
The ZLHR lawyers sought audience with the Officer-in- Charge and lodged a complaint on the ill-treatment of Jaure and the manner of the arrest.
“The Officer-in-Charge expressed concern on the nature of the complaint against the police and undertook to investigate the matter. The charges against the client were then shelved pending the investigation against the assaults,” said Masiye.
This is not the first time that Jaure has fallen victim to the repressive actions of State security apparatus.
He left his former job as a sergeant in the crack Commando Regiment after being detained for 277 days at 2 Brigade Detention Barracks, a military holding facility in Harare between July 2008 and April 2009.
Jaure, through ZLHR is suing Minister of Defence Emmerson Mnangagwa and two military intelligence operatives whom he accuses of using “sadistic” methods to torture him during detention.
He is claiming $1.5 million in damages for torture, assault and unlawful detention after being arrested in July 2008 by the military’s Counter-Intelligence Unit on allegations of making unfavourable political utterances.
Jaure, who resigned from the army last September, alleges that he was interrogated by Warrant Officer Class 1 Muzira and Sergeant Nzombe when he was in detention.
The interrogation, Jaure said, included extreme torture, characterised by the use of electric shocks and assaults with various objects.
“This was particularly perpetrated by Warrant Officer Class 1 Muzira and few others under his command. Also very active in perpetrating torture against Mr Jaure was a Lieutenant Huni,” read part of Jaure’s notice of intention to sue filed in terms of the State Liabilities Act.
In the notice to sue, Zvikomborero Chadambuka a memberlawyer of ZLHR said there was no lawful reason for the lengthy detention and torture of Jaure.
The former soldier is claiming $500 000 for unlawful arrest and detention by army officers who acted in the course and scope of their work.
Jaure is also demanding $1 million for severe pain and suffering due to the assault and torture perpetrated upon him by Huni and Muzira and other officers. Mnangagwa, as Defence Minister, is in charge of the militar
Post published in: Politics