Soldiers beat up university students

NINE soldiers allegedly beat up Chinhoyi University of Technology (CUT) students and beer patrons at Chinhoyi training centre on Thursday night over a white pool-game ball, leaving two people seriously injured.

They accused the students of having taken the white ball the previous day.

One of the seriously injured patrons wanted to intervene on behalf of the students.

The patron who did not want to be identified fearing victimisation, since he is regular at the training centre bar, had a deep cut above the eye that needed four stitches at Chinhoyi hospital yesterday.

Students tried to report the matter to the police, but the officers at Chinhoyi police central allegedly refused to record the matter referring them from one office to another.

The patron said the soldiers beat him with clenched fists and booted feet, boasting that they were "untouchables."

"You don't tell us what to do because you don't know who we are even if you report the matter to the police they have no power over us," said one of the soldiers, a major.

True to the soldiers word, when the students went to report the matter, they were given a cold shoulder by the police.

"After being beaten we went to report the matter, but the police were reluctant when we mentioned that we were beaten by soldiers based at Chinhoyi training centre. One of us is seeking treatment at the hospital," said another student who refused to be identified.

Mashonaland West police spokesperson Insp Clemence Mabweazara could neither deny nor confirm the incident saying he was in Harare.

Army spokesperson, Lieutenant Colonel, Alphios Makotore could not be reached for comment yesterday.

Due to the shortage of accommodation at CUT, students lodge at Chinhoyi training centre, while the soldiers are based there for the food distribution exercise.

A fortnight ago, a group of suspected soldiers allegedly assaulted students at Midlands State University leaving more than three dozen seriously injured.

The soldiers were reportedly on a revenge mission after a member of the Zimbabwe National Army was beaten by a group of students following a misunderstanding over a woman at a city drinking spot in the Midlands capital of Gweru.