MARONDERA - More than 1000 police officers have been sacked by Police Commissioner, Augustine Chihuri, for investigating perpetrators of Zanu (PF)s terror campaign. Some of them were detained and badly brutalised while still in the force. Co-minister of Home Affairs, Giles Mutsekwa, said the affected officers had the right to appeal for reinstatement. The officers should launch appeals against unfair dismissal to the police service commission stating how they were discharged. Then I will hear from the commission about the complaints. I only knew of a few cases of politically motivated dismissals, I did not know the alleged victimization was so wide spread, said Mutsekwa.
The officers were allegedly dismissed from work, and in some cases assaulted or murdered, by Zanu (PF) militia. The thugs teamed up with CIO agents and the army at the behest of police assistant commissioners Everisto Pfumvute, Bobby Murwira, Makodza, Mthambeni and Chihuri.
Police officers stationed at Headlands were severely assaulted by police riot squad and the army last year, allegedly for refusing to rig elections through the postal ballot. All police officers at the station including the Officer in charge were assaulted, arrested and sentenced to various terms of detention at Police General Headquarters (PGHQ) before they were discharged from the force, a highly placed source at the PGHQ revealed.
Constable Admire Takawira of Macheke police station was fired from the force after he had attempted to investigate Zanu (PF) youths who burnt down suspected MDC supporters houses.
The trial officer Chief Superintendent Mutema told me that my trial was a formality as Chihuri wanted a conviction leading to dismissal. I spent 31 days in detention barracks before dismissal from the force without benefits. The conviction indicated that I was found guilty of participating in politics, said Takawira.
According to sources, Zanu (PF) youths in Mashonaland East made lists of police officers who stopped them from abducting MDC supporters during the election period.
The names of the officers were forwarded to Zanu (PF) Provincial Headquarters and Assistant Commissioner Mthambeni of Marondera district before they were submitted to Chihuri for further action. Chihuri would immediately order the arrest of the policemen and eventual dismissal, said an Assistant Commissioner at PGHQ.