News / National
Soldier suing Mnangagwa for unjust imprisonment and torture
23 Mar 2012 at 10:25hrs | Views
A former Special Forces officer is suing Defence minister Emerson Mnangagwa and two officers in the Counter Intelligence Unit of the army for US$1,5 million for unjust imprisonment and torture.
Sergeant Wilfred Jaure worked for the Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA)'s crack unit, the Commando Regiment, before being detained for 277 days at 2 Brigade Detention Barracks â€" a Zimbabwe military facility for holding army personnel that have been tried and convicted.
The military accused and suspected Jaure of helping get classified information to the enemy and engaging in political activities. But he was never charged with a crime and says he never broke the law but was discharged after refusing to carry out an undisclosed classified mission.
He was arrested on July 24, 2008, three days before a blood-soaked presidential run-off election.
Lawyers for Jaure say he was arrested by officers from the ZNA Counter Intelligence Unit and held without justification while his family knew nothing about his whereabouts or even whether he was still alive.
Court papers filed in the Supreme Court on March 6, 2012 on his behalf say he was repeatedly abused for 277 days, then suddenly released without explanation on April 28, 2009 and demoted.
He resigned from the force in September 2009. Now he has filed suit in the Supreme Court arguing that Mnangagwa personally approved torturous interrogation techniques and controlled his detention without access to courts in violation of his constitutional rights.
Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights attorneys, who are representing the plaintiff on a pro bono basis, say the military kept their client behind bars without a hearing or a Court Marshall.
Mnangagwa is cited as the first respondent in his official capacity as Defence minister, with Lieutenant Huni based at the KGVI Army Headquarters and Warrant Officer Class 1 Muzira, who is based at the army's Counter Intelligence Unit at 2 Brigade at the Cranborne Barracks in Harare cited as the second and third respondents respectively.
Jaure says in his Supreme Court application that Huni and Muzira, who he alleges viciously tortured him throughout his 277-day detention, violated his constitutional rights.
The matter is yet to be set down for a hearing in the highest court in the land.
Sergeant Wilfred Jaure worked for the Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA)'s crack unit, the Commando Regiment, before being detained for 277 days at 2 Brigade Detention Barracks â€" a Zimbabwe military facility for holding army personnel that have been tried and convicted.
The military accused and suspected Jaure of helping get classified information to the enemy and engaging in political activities. But he was never charged with a crime and says he never broke the law but was discharged after refusing to carry out an undisclosed classified mission.
He was arrested on July 24, 2008, three days before a blood-soaked presidential run-off election.
Lawyers for Jaure say he was arrested by officers from the ZNA Counter Intelligence Unit and held without justification while his family knew nothing about his whereabouts or even whether he was still alive.
Court papers filed in the Supreme Court on March 6, 2012 on his behalf say he was repeatedly abused for 277 days, then suddenly released without explanation on April 28, 2009 and demoted.
He resigned from the force in September 2009. Now he has filed suit in the Supreme Court arguing that Mnangagwa personally approved torturous interrogation techniques and controlled his detention without access to courts in violation of his constitutional rights.
Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights attorneys, who are representing the plaintiff on a pro bono basis, say the military kept their client behind bars without a hearing or a Court Marshall.
Mnangagwa is cited as the first respondent in his official capacity as Defence minister, with Lieutenant Huni based at the KGVI Army Headquarters and Warrant Officer Class 1 Muzira, who is based at the army's Counter Intelligence Unit at 2 Brigade at the Cranborne Barracks in Harare cited as the second and third respondents respectively.
Jaure says in his Supreme Court application that Huni and Muzira, who he alleges viciously tortured him throughout his 277-day detention, violated his constitutional rights.
The matter is yet to be set down for a hearing in the highest court in the land.
Source - Byo24News
