Police dogs maul protesters

By Tarisai Machakaire

Police indiscriminately arrested people and allegedly set their dogs on them after conducting door-to-door raids in the Harare suburbs of Mabvuku, Zimre Park and Epworth in the aftermath of Monday’s riots, a Harare magistrate heard yesterday.

Human rights lawyers who appeared before the Harare Magistrates’ Courts representing the suspected 105 rioters spoke of harrowing experiences that their clients endured at the hands of law enforcement agents then.

According to the lawyers, including Trust Manda, Arnold Taruvinga, Obey Shava, Gift Mtisi and Jeremiah Bhamu, dogs were set on the suspects — who up to yesterday were still to receive medical attention, notwithstanding their wounds.

“The accused persons were fed to dogs by police and two of those who suffered the attack are juveniles of school-going age.

“Some of them were fortunately hospitalised but the only form of medical attention they got was bandages.

“Further to that, the police officers knowing fully well that the accused persons had been attacked by dogs never made any effort to ensure they were treated for rabies,” Bhamu said.

About 10 of the accused persons who were mauled by the police dogs stood before Harare provincial magistrate, Vakayi Chikwekwe, and displayed their wounds and blood-stained clothes.

“Accused 10, Gradual Chareka, is immobilised and cannot stand on his own. Their condition is grave and requires further medical attention. They are being kept under degrading and inhuman detention conditions,” Bhamu added, also raising concern about how the police had detained some minors.

“Section 18 (1) (i) of the Constitution speaks for the rights of children and that their detention should only be a measure of last resort. They ought to have been kept from prison.

“We would also want it put on record that from July 4 to date, the accused persons were not allowed access to food,” he said.

Prosecutor Molleen Mutamangira opposed the bail applications of the accused, which was postponed to today.

“If released the accused persons are likely to commit similar offences and their case is made worse by the fact that they attacked law enforcement agents. They should not be released on bail,” Murahwa said.

National Vendors Union chairperson, Sten Zvorwadza, who addressed relatives of the accused persons after the court sitting, expressed concern over the conduct of police.

“What the police did clearly defies the rule of law. People are supposed to depend on them for protection but in the Zimbabwean case they are actually the architects of terror. What they do not know is that what they have started may actually fuel civil unrest,” Zvorwadza said.

According to State papers, police received a tip-off that protestors from Greater Harare Association for Commuter omnibuses were demonstrating in Epworth, Zimre Park and Mabvuku.

The demonstrators also allegedly forced passengers to disembark from commuter omnibuses and police moved in to calm the situation.

The court also heard that the accused persons also allegedly began charging at the cops, throwing stones and threatening them with death.

A number of police officers who sustained injuries from the attacks are said to be still receiving medical attention. Daily News