Police rubbishes Mliswa's abduction claims

Police have dismissed allegations by Independent candidate for the Hurungwe West by-election on June 10 Mr Temba Mliswa that two headmen were abducted because they support him.

The embittered former Zanu-PF Mashonaland West provincial chairman who was expelled for working against the party, claimed on Monday that the headmen were still missing and was widely quoted as saying so in yesterday's edition of NewsDay.

The allegations appeared designed to coincide with the Extraordinary Summit of Sadc Heads of State and Government that begins in Harare today.

Mashonaland West provincial crime prevention officer Superintendent Pedzai Dzindimu said in a statement yesterday that they had not received a report to that effect.

"Contrary to reports in the NewsDay of 28 April where Mliswa said two headmen have been kidnapped, we would like to put on record that no one has come through to make a formal report," said Supt Dzindimu.

He said Mr Mliswa filed two reports at Borrowdale Police Station in Harare on Monday alleging invasion of his Spring Farm and the pulling down of his campaign posters in Hurungwe.

"The alleged assault of headmen at a Zanu-PF rally in Hurungwe and subsequent abduction of two headmen on April 26 was not reported to the police, but instead there are two other cases that were reported on 27 April," said Supt Dzindimu.

"If indeed it happened, Mliswa should have reported to the police and not to the papers."

Supt Dzindimu said Mr Mliswa was lying that he had lodged a written complaint with officer commanding police Mashonaland West Senior Assistant Commissioner Rangarirai Mushaurwa.

Mr Mliswa will contest against Zanu-PF candidate Keith Guzah in the by-election.