Police in Harare were left in broad-daylight disgrace after a human rights activist Stendrick Zvorwadza was acquitted by the court as the case was dismissed due to lack of evidence amid flimsy investigations. Zvorwadza was incarcerated for 6 whole days in Harare as police officers frantically attempted to charge him for hurling insults at police at a station.
The activist who is the vice chairman of the Restoration of Human Rights, ROHR-Zimbabwe organisation, appeared before a Harare magistrate court yesterday after languishing in police detention for a consecutive 6 days.
He was arrested on the 9th of January last week and charged under Section 41b of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act Chapter 9:23 arising from the alleged use of improper language at the police station with the intention of disturbing public peace. Zimbabwe’s Attorney General however dismissed the police case as he criticised the investigations for lacking substance.
It was not clear what police were claiming he uttered.
Police however allege that he used what they term improper language at the police station with the intention of disturbing public peace. However Zvorwadza’s representative from the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, a Mr Mutangi has said that the treatment by the police is not proportionate with the allegation itself.
There were high suspicions yesterday that Zvorwadza is being punished for expressing his disappointment to law enforcement authorities for failing to resolve a pending case that remains in police hands for long. Zvorwadza has told his legal representative that he believes he is being persecuted for threatening to expose a top police boss who is allegedly covering up for a Chinese national who risk facing the wrath of the law. ‘The matters borders on a fierce precedent of sponsored impunity and undermining of the rule of law by ‘untouchable elite,’ A ROHR Zimbabwe statement reads.
Mr Mutangi from the ZLHR has maintained that, under normal circumstances a person charged with the same charge could be expected to pay a minor fine. The prolonged detention and infringement of rights on the handling of Zvorwadza’s case is a clear sign that there are parties with ulterior motives within the police force, reads the statement. More to follow…
9 Replies to “Police Humiliated as Human Rights Activist Is Acquitted”
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Mapurisa amunoreva aya ndeaChihuri zvavakadzidza vakaudzwa naChihuri ani ani zvake achapokana nemupurisa apokana naCHIHURI uye nehurumende yavaMugabe. Munoaziva matongero avaMUGABE. Pa32yrs moita semusingazi kuti apokana nehurumende mupanduki rovai musoro kuti vamwe vaone. Svinurai mhani vana veZIMBABWE nyika ndeyako iyi rega kuitwa nhapwa nekuda kwemashoko ako.
Our police force can be professional its only that they have been turned into a militant wing of zanoo pee eeff. The more of these government or should we say party blunders occur the more the it becomes apparent that change is imminent.
Nhai iwe chando kupusa, munhu waurikutaura naye unonyatsomuziva here or urikurota. munhu watinosera naye everyday aripaservice station or ari kumaruzevha achitaura nevanhu vake. haikona kunyepa kudaro iwe. iva nenyadziwo
The major problem that any future zimbabwean government will inherit is an inept and crass police force. A police force that was poorly assembled from youth brigades as a way of consolidating zanu pf’s corruption. A police force with a false siege mentality. GOD BLESS ZIMBABWE.
Yes you are right Cde Miki, we had a similar problem in Chikomba where i come but when i went back home in December last year, the comrades there had done a wonderful job,all the sellouts were chased away including Jiri, the only MDC(Theresa)MP.He is even scared to visit his service station in Chivhu.I said thumps up Cdes for a job well done.
If police ar used for polical agendas things nomarly get out of hands istand of protecting they become killes.
Bla Miki, start your clean up in Zvimba. Imagine this district spawned the likes of Matibili, Chombo, Shamu, Zhuwawo, Rio Mugabe the list is endless
This is how the judiciary system works, they don’t just prosecute without satisfying themselves first, and its not about humiliating police or what. I need to do a clean up in Domboshawa once more. Imagine, this Standrick Zvorwadza is from Chogugudza Village in Domboshava and is a nephew to Ephraim Tapa. The area has bred the likes of the Makones’, the now crippled Tsvangiskirt spokeman whos name l’ve forgotten and many more sellouts.
The police should decide if they are with the people or against the people. Yesterday we applauded them for cornering and taking out the carjacking murderer. But the same day yesterday we read that they have devised innovative ways of extorting money from minibus drivers, and then today we read that they incarcerate a citizen for 6 days for simply telling them to do their job. For every one good thing they do, they counter with 10 disgusting & disgraceful acts… so Bla Dog, you and your colleagues will either all be fired or will have to go through a rigorous re-orientation exercise so that you become useful to the people once again.