August 1 gunshot victims speak out

Zimbabwe Association of Doctors for Human Rights have compiled a report of August 21 killings that left 6 people dead during the election season. Several high profile people including the Generals of the army and the police have been invited by the Kgalema Motlanthe led Commission of Inquiry to give an account of what happened on the fateful day. The MDC leaders Tendai Biti and Nelson Chamisa have also been invited by the Commission.

Below we publish the outcome of the interviews that was done by ZADHR:

1.    MALE PATIENT (41) patient who is a street vendor in Harare CBD. He was selling his goods along Nelson Mandela Avenue when he encountered a group of soldiers who told him to go leave town. As he was walking towards Angwa street he met a second group of soldiers who told him to turn back and head towards the direction he was coming from. He refused to do so as he saw that where they were telling him to go people were being beaten by soldiers. He tried to run away and was shot and sustained a laceration on his left foot. Had an entry bullet wound on the posterior aspect of the left ankle. Entry wound showed that this victim was shot from the back. He had extensive soft tissue injuries to the left foot but no fracture.

2.    MALE PATIENT (31). Victim is a cellphone vendor in Harare. He alleges that he was crossing the road near former Ximex mall to meet a potential buyer when he saw a group of people running away from uniformed soldiers. Before he could figure out what was happening, he felt what was like an electric shock in his right forearm. Seconds later he saw blood all over his right upper limb. The victim had been hit by a bullet. He sustained a communited compound fracture of the right ulna.

3.    FEMALE PATIENT (28). She was coming from work near 4th street in Harare when she was hit by a bullet on the forearm. The bullet pierced through her forearm and went on to kill a bystander. She sustained a deep laceration on the forearm but had no fracture.

4.    FEMALE PATIENT (45). Victim was shot in the chest, fortunately the bullet missed major vessels and vital organs. She had extensive soft tissue injuries and had difficulties in mobilizing the right shoulder. She had multiple sessions of physiotherapy. This victim survived on part time manual labour jobs and after this assault she could not carry out her usual jobs. Her source of living was heavily affected, and her daughter ended up dropping out of school for some period. This affected her psychological well-being in addition to the physical trauma she endured.

 5.    MALE PATIENT (34). Sustained extensive soft tissue injuries after he was hit by a bullet on the right distal forearm on 1 August 2018. He was attending to his personal business in Harare CBD when the soldiers shot at him. X-rays revealed that he had no fractures. His wound had multiple foreign bodies and needed debridement and daily dressings.

6.    MALE PATIENT (26) who is employed as a Disc Jockey (DJ) at a local club. He narrated that he had just purchased a new laptop in town, when the shop owner accommodated a group of people who had come running for cover. The shop owner advised them to remain in doors until it was relatively calm. A few minutes later, the shop owner started worrying about the possibility of having his shop burnt down for accommodating people who were being chased by the army. He then advised everyone in the shop to get out and look for another place to hide. He remembers that one of the persons in that shop had told him that he had left his kombi (commuter omnibus) outside the shop and they would use it for cover and transport. The kombi driver then ran towards the kombi, but he could not make it to the kombi as he was shot in the chest and fell powerlessly. When he was trying to help him, he felt a piercing sting on his right thigh and he dropped the kombi driver and ran away. He was not aware of the fate of the kombi driver. He presented later to a ZADHR doctor with a necrotic wound that needed debridement.

7.    FEMALE PATIENT. (21) Was shot on the posterior aspect of the left calf and sustained extensive soft tissue injuries. She is a college student who was having her routine business in Harare CBD when she was shot by the soldiers. She missed several weeks of school as a result of this injury.

8.    MALE PATIENT (41)who was shot in the chest by soldiers and died on the spot. He was certified dead by a ZADHR doctor at Parirenyatwa Hospital. However, when the doctor tried to examine the body to ascertain the full nature of the injuries, he was stopped by a suspected State agent and the body was whisked away. Postmortem results could not be obtained.

9.    MALE PATIENT (26). Was walking in Harare CBD on 1 August when he was shot on the right thigh. He sustained a degloving injury to the right thigh. He presented late to the hospital due to lack of funds. His wound became necrotic and needed debridement in theatre.

10.    MALE PATIENT (Age unknown) who sustained a gunshot wound to the pelvis on the 1st of August. The victim was shot by soldiers in Harare CBD whilst fleeing from them. Bullet was lodged in the pelvis but missed visceral organs. X-rays revealed no fractures. He was taken to theatre and the bullet was removed by the surgeons.

11.    FEMALE PATIENT (Age unknown) who had a penetrating gunshot wound on the left buttock after she was shot by soldiers on 1 August in Harare CBD. She narrates that she was walking in the CBD when she suddenly saw a mob running away from soldiers. She started running too but unfortunately, she was shot, and the bullet lodged in the left buttock. X-rays revealed that she had no fractures. Bullet was removed in theatre by the surgeons.