Police brutality, Mohadi, Chihuri face lawsuit

THE Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) is suing police commissioner-general Augustine Chihuri and Home Affairs minister Kembo Mohadi for the alleged torture of two Bulawayo men by cops on Sunday night.

ZLHR yesterday expressed concern over what it described as police brutality against defenceless civilians saying this "cannot be allowed to continue".

ZLHR is representing Fungai Moyo (32) and Gugulezwe Nxongo (31) who are nursing wounds from an alleged unprovoked attack by about eights cops on night patrol along Luveve Road near the Entumbane Complex.

Moyo and Nxongo said the police demanded identification particulars from the two and then went on to kick and beat them with truncheons despite producing their identity cards.

Moyo and Nxongo are receiving treatment at Mpilo Hospital and have lodged a police report at Entumbane Police Station against the cops who beat them up under case numbers 59/03/14 and 58/03/14.

ZLHR Matabeleland representative Lizwe Jamela said they were taking up the case and would fight to put a stop to increasing police brutality against innocent people.

"The ZLHR is taking this issue up. We are making follow ups on the criminal aspect of this matter and at the same time instituting a civil suit against the commissioner-general of police and the Home Affairs minister for this unbecoming police behaviour," Jamela said yesterday soon after meeting Nxongo and Moyo.

"This unbecoming behaviour by the police cannot be tolerated and cannot be allowed to continue.

"We cannot have police officers that are criminal yet they are meant to protect citizens."

Acting Bulawayo provincial police spokesperson Assistant Inspector Abednico Ncube has indicated that police would investigate the alleged beating of Moyo and Ngxonyo by the cops.