In a statement released today, the Team expressed shock and sorrow at the murder of Manonge at a police roadblock in Marondera last weekend, for refusing to pay the cops a $10 bribe.
“The tragedy in Zimbabwe is that traffic offences have been turned into capital offences, where motoring citizens are held at ransom until they bleed some cash. Citizens are entitled to protection by the state and the police are part of the state. Shockingly, they are now killing unsuspecting commuter operators desperate to earn a living,” reads part of the statement.
The Team noted that police routinely swindles the public of hard earned cash in an economy that is in a shambles, making it difficult for the poor to earn a living.
According to the statement, the public was alarmed by the proliferation of extortion centres under the guise of road blocks, manned by cops-cum-vicious money-collecting barons.
It demanded accountability by the top cop in-charge and a commission of inquiry into all deaths related to road blocks.
A call was made for an immediate retraining of all police officers in the Rule of Law and rights of citizens as enshrined in the constitution.
The Human Rights Commission was called upon to launch an investigation into the ‘extortion centres’ run by the police while parliament was asked to ‘restore the rule of law on the roads and abolish the extortionist spot fines which are unjustifiable in a democratic society’.
Manonge was assaulted by baton-wielding police officers at a road block mounted at Bemba Farm along the Marondera-Murewa road. He died on the spot.
Three police officers have since been arrested and are assisting with investigations.
The police have been accused of enforcing the law in the Central Business Districts of major cities in a manner that resulted in loss of lives including that of innocent children.
Post published in: News