46 year-old Edcock Dube of Chitungwiza, instituted legal action
against Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage Minister Hon. Kazembe
Kazembe and ZRP Commissioner-General Godwin Matanga and a police
officer only identified as Chafunga, demanding ZWL1 million as
compensation for pain and suffering and embarrassment and humiliation
after he was subjected to unlawful assault, torture and inhumane and
degrading treatment at the hands of some ZRP officers who included
Chafunga.
Dube had been arrested by ZRP officers on 25 February 2021 while on
his way home from work for allegedly violating the curfew regulations
imposed by government in 2020 in a bid to stop the unnecessary
movement of people and to curb the spread of coronavirus. He was taken
to St Mary’s Police Station, where he was detained in the police cells
while Chafunga handcuffed him to a pole and assaulted him with a
truncheon on his head and hands.
As a result of the assault, Dube ended up nursing a fractured finger
and sustained injuries to his eye and thereby limiting his eyesight.
He was then assisted by Tinashe Chinopfukutwa of Zimbabwe Lawyers for
Human Rights, who on 29 April 2021, helped him to sue Hon. Kazembe,
Matanga and Chafunga for damages at Chitungwiza Civil Magistrates
Court.
After presiding over the trial of Hon. Kazembe, Matanga and Chafunga,
Chitungwiza Provincial Magistrate Sheunesu Matova recently ordered the
trio to pay ZWL400 000 in damages to Dube after holding them liable
for the violation of the Chitungwiza resident’s fundamental rights.