Cop brutalises man over ex-wife's debt

IN an alleged case of police brutality, a Harare man, Tawanda Major, recently suffered a thorough beating at the hands of law enforcement agents, who later confiscated his vehicle and household property in a bid to force him to disclose the whereabouts of his former wife.

As if the battering was not enough, the police officers allegedly placed Major under house arrest for over 40 hours during which period, they ordered his housemaid to cook and provide bathing facilities for them.

The incident occurred on May 5 this year, prompting Major to sue Home Affairs minister Ignatius Chombo, Commissioner-General of Police Augustine Chihuri alongside Superintendent Dafana, Detective Sergeant Muzenda, Detective Constable Matengambiri and Detective Mahuni.

Major filed two litigations at the High Court and in one of them he is demanding the return of his household property, a Mercedes Benz E320 and a vehicle registration book for his Range Rover, among other items, while in the other lawsuit he is demanding $600 000 compensation.

Through his lawyers Major said on the day in question, he was at his residence when Dafana pounced on him while in the company of other police officers looking for his ex-wife Daisy Hazvinavarwi, who was alleged to have borrowed $3 000 from one Enia Dafana.

"Upon identifying themselves (police officers) they went on to say that plaintiff's (Major) former wife had borrowed money to the tune of $3 000 from an EcoCash agent, which was operated by the third defendant (Dafana)," Major's lawyers said.

"The third to fifth defendants (Dafana, Muzenda and Matengambiri) advised plaintiff they were going to detain him until his former wife returned. The third defendant (Dafana) proceeded to handcuff plaintiff and began assaulting him severely on the face, testicles and body using fists and booted feet.

The lawyers further said after the assault, Dafana instructed his junior officers to guard Major overnight as he went out to source for a lorry to ferry his household property.

"The team of police officers led by third defendant unlawfully, forcefully and without plaintiff's consent, court order or warrant, loaded into the lorry plaintiff's personal and private property . . . further to the barbaric confiscation of plaintiff's assets, plaintiff was put under house arrest with six police officers guarding him while he lay handcuffed on the floor for the whole night," his lawyers said.

According to the lawyers, the alleged assaults were witnessed by Major's two minor children and housemaid.

Defendants have not yet responded to the litigation.