News / National
Soldiers run amok in Chitungwiza
08 Oct 2017 at 10:39hrs | Views
SEKE Unit O shops in Chitungwiza have resembled a war zone each evening for the past week as soldiers wantonly beat up residents in retaliation for the murder of their colleague by an unknown gang of pimps and prostitutes.
A soldier allegedly died after he was assaulted a week ago by pimps hired by a prostitute after she discovered he had some significant sum of money in his Ecocash wallet.
A vendor at Unit O shops only identified as Naomi said: "A soldier was attacked by pimps hired by a prostitute who had discovered he had $900 in his Ecocash wallet.
"It seems they wanted to get his pin code so that they could steal his money.
"After the attack, soldiers have been coming here each night on retaliatory attacks.
"The random attack of civilians by soldiers has taken a toll on our businesses as we now close earlier than our usual times each day as a means to remain safe from the rogue military elements," she added.
Another resident, Lawrence Sibiya said the soldiers had been giving them a hard time since the incident.
"We have had a torrid time since last Saturday when soldiers came here wantonly beating people, trying to get information on the people who killed their colleague," he said.
"They have been coming every evening around 7pm forcing all the shops to close."
while admitting they handled a murder case, officers at Chitungwiza police station said they were not allowed to speak to the press.
Police spokesman Chief Superintendent Paul Nyathi was not immediately available for comment as his mobile phone went unanswered.
Zimbabwe National Army spokesman Colonel Alphios Makotore said the police should comment on the alleged criminal activities.
"The said death is a criminal offence. go to police at Chitungwiza. Police in Chitungwiza should be able to handle the situation if there are public assaults because that would be a criminal offence," he said.
A soldier allegedly died after he was assaulted a week ago by pimps hired by a prostitute after she discovered he had some significant sum of money in his Ecocash wallet.
A vendor at Unit O shops only identified as Naomi said: "A soldier was attacked by pimps hired by a prostitute who had discovered he had $900 in his Ecocash wallet.
"It seems they wanted to get his pin code so that they could steal his money.
"After the attack, soldiers have been coming here each night on retaliatory attacks.
"The random attack of civilians by soldiers has taken a toll on our businesses as we now close earlier than our usual times each day as a means to remain safe from the rogue military elements," she added.
Another resident, Lawrence Sibiya said the soldiers had been giving them a hard time since the incident.
"We have had a torrid time since last Saturday when soldiers came here wantonly beating people, trying to get information on the people who killed their colleague," he said.
"They have been coming every evening around 7pm forcing all the shops to close."
while admitting they handled a murder case, officers at Chitungwiza police station said they were not allowed to speak to the press.
Police spokesman Chief Superintendent Paul Nyathi was not immediately available for comment as his mobile phone went unanswered.
Zimbabwe National Army spokesman Colonel Alphios Makotore said the police should comment on the alleged criminal activities.
"The said death is a criminal offence. go to police at Chitungwiza. Police in Chitungwiza should be able to handle the situation if there are public assaults because that would be a criminal offence," he said.
Source - the standard
