Teargas victim relives kombi horror
By Tatenda Dewa | Harare Bureau |
A victim of police brutality has come out to recount the horror he and other passengers went through when anti-riot details launched a teargas canister into a minibus they had boarded.
The incident took place on Wednesday during the launch of the MDC-T youth wing’s #MyZimbabwe campaign against the prevailing economic and political crisis.
The victim, Mustafa Chikavhu, on Thursday posted on Facebook his horrific encounter with the police along Rezende Street.
According to Chikavhu, the incident occurred in the afternoon as he had just collected his wife and boarded a friend’s private omnibus to return to Mount Pleasant, a northern suburb.
Watch shocking Video on Nehanda TV
Because of ongoing turmoil as police and protesters fought running battles, Chikavhu, his wife and four other passengers remained in the vehicle, fearing they could be caught up in the violence.
Anti-riot police in invaded the Mount Pleasant passenger pick-up and drop-off point along Rezende, beating up commuters indiscriminately, said Chikavhu.
“We were (six) in the car and decided to lock the doors but they (police) wouldn’t have that. They broke the windows and before they could get in, we drove off,” he recounted.
The kombi almost collided with a police truck which blocked his way, but he avoided it and sped off when the teargas canister was hurled in the kombi which was fast engulfed by the smoke.
Chikavhu said the canister landed on his wife’s back and fell on the seat where it burnt the upholstery.
“We couldn’t breathe…I had no access to the window as they did not break the ones I could use. Luckily our wives had access (to windows),” he added.
Chikavhu says he is the passenger who jumped off the vehicle as also seen in a video that captured the incident yesterday.
“I broke my arm and damaged my mouth and teeth…As soon as I landed (on the ground) I ran to a safe place and called my wife and, thank God, she was OK…When I landed, the back wheel missed me by centimetres… I still couldn’t breathe,” said Chikavhu. Nehanda Radio
