Kazembe Kazembe
But on Tuesday 27 October 2020, a legal advisor in Hon. Kazembe’s
ministry only identified as P Madziviridze advised Mandoza’s lawyers
Fiona Iliff and Obey Shava of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR)
through a letter that payment had been effected and attached a proof
of payment confirming the transfer of funds.
Through his lawyers, Mandoza sued Hon. Kazembe and ZRP
Commissioner-General Godwin Matanga after some police officers
arrested the college student on 20 September 2018 while he was
standing outside a fast food outlet in Harare’s central business
district (CBD), waiting for his brother to pick him up. Unbeknown to
him, some ZRP members were carrying out an operation against alleged
informal traders in the CBD at that time.
Mandoza was assaulted by ZRP members and then forced to get into the
back of a police vehicle. While in the vehicle, ZRP members poked
Mandoza with a truncheon on his shoulder and at the back of his head,
threatening him with further assault. Mandoza was taken to Harare
Central Police Station, where he was finally released without a charge
being preferred against him.
Mandoza becomes the latest person among dozens of people assisted by
ZLHR to successfully sue ZRP members and Cabinet ministers for payment
of damages emanating from the misdemeanors of some state and non-state
actors, who violate human rights of others under the guise of acting
within the realm of the law or purportedly under some state authority.
By bringing up anti-impunity civil claims against perpetrators, ZLHR
aims to deter and discourage acts of human rights violations.