Cops to compensate assault victim

THREE police officers based in Nyanga have been ordered to pay $2 500 compensation to a 53-year-old woman Felistus Mutsambarudza whom they assaulted in a bid to force her to reveal the whereabouts of her criminal son last year.

Police wanted to question Mutsambarudza's son Lawrence in connection with a stock theft case.

In consent judgment on April 3 registered with the Nyanga Magistrates Court, the three officers - Tafadzwa Nheya, Misheck Magadzire and Hard Mazivire agreed to an out-of-court-settlement with Mutsambarudza.

The cops agreed to pay the damages from their individual coffers.

The court heard that on November 19 last year, the police officers were assigned to arrest the complainant's son for stocktheft.

After they failed to locate him, they turned to his mother whom they assaulted indiscriminately accusing her of refusing to disclose his whereabouts.

Following the assault, Mutsambarudza engaged lawyers from the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights and sued for $5 000.

The parties later settled for a compensation figure of $2 500 payable by May 1 this year.

Part of the consent judgment read: "Whereas the plaintiff has instituted legal proceedings for the delictual damages as a result of assault by three officers in the sum of $5 000.

"And whereas the plaintiff, first, second and third defendants have reached an out-of-court settlement/agreement the parties hereto desire shall be made an order of this honourable Court.

"In the event that the defendants' fails to pay any of the sums as mentioned in the above paragraphs the plaintiff shall be entitled to have a warrant of execution against property issued by the clerk of recovery of all amounts due in terms of this agreement."