Soldiers assault activists for wearing MDC-T regalia

Two MDC-T activists were assaulted by soldiers at a bar in Epworth on Saturday, and then abducted the following day by the same soldiers who decided to hand them over to notorious thugs from the Chipangano gang in Mbare.

Speaking to SW Radio Africa on Wednesday Kennedy Masiye, from Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, confirmed that his clients Golden Nyika (19) and Petros Makaza (21) were assaulted for wearing MDC-T party t-shirts.

He said a soldier in uniform accompanied by 3 of his colleagues walked into the bar and approached them, asking why they were wearing party t-shirts. Masiye said there was a scuffle which resulted in his clients being beaten by the soldiers.

"Unfortunately the next morning these gentlemen (soldiers) came to the residence of my clients with eight other guys and abducted them," he said. The youths were then handed over to the Chipangano gang in Mbare for more assaults and torture.

Masiye told SW Radio Africa that his clients, "were thoroughly beaten and one of them had a burnt buttock and the other one had lacerations on his arm and I think his fingers might be broken."

To justify the arrests the soldiers claimed the MDC-T youths had stolen a beret and cellphone from the soldier they scuffled with in Epworth.

"On Sunday I appeared at the police station and the guys appeared visibly injured and I had to negotiate with the officer in charge to go with them to Harare Hospital and unfortunately they were not attended to. We had to find other means of attending to them," Masiye said.

On Wednesday the youths appeared in court and the lawyer says he filed a complaint against the police, as accompanying the soldiers who assaulted the youths was a police officer, stationed in Braeside.

The youths were granted $30 bail and the next remand hearing is on the 28th August.

SW Radio Africa also understands soldiers have been terrorising residents in Epworth at the Munyuki shops since Friday.

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