Cops target Mkhwananzi over police brutality protest

ZIMBABWEAN police on Friday 26 August 2016 charged pro-democracy campaigner Promise Mkwananzi with committing public violence following a demonstration staged this week against worsening police brutality.

Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) officers charged Mkwananzi, the Executive Director of the Zimbabwe Informal Sector's Organisation and who is represented by Tonderai Bhatasara of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) with inciting and committing public violence and destroying property which includes a police vehicle and another vehicle belonging to the state-run Zimbabwe Broadcasting Holdings.

ZLHR said Mkwananzi becomes the latest person to be nabbed by the law enforcement agents after ZRP officers charged 13 men on Thursday 25 August 2016 with committing public violence. A freelance journalist Tendai Mandimika is among those detained and charged with committing public violence.

"The ZRP officers had initially arrested close to 60 people made up of 42 men and 17 women, whom they had rounded up at Roslin House, located close to the MDC-T party headquarters in central Harare," said ZLHR.

"Out of 42 men, 28 were set free together with all the women on Thursday evening, following the intervention and representation by their lawyers Jeremiah Bamu, Dorcas Chitiyo, Sharon Hofisi and Agnes Muzondo of ZLHR."

ZLHR said their release came after they were subjected to a process of profiling, which entails having all their details such as names, identification document particulars and residential address recorded by ZRP officers.

The 13 men are expected to appear at Harare Magistrates Court on Friday 26 August 2016.