Zanu PF presidium roped into Lupane CIO, cop assault case

The ruling party Zanu PF presidium has been roped into the case of a senior Lupane Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) officer who allegedly assaulted a police officer amid revelations the Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa's office in the district has been asked to probe the case and produce a preliminary findings report on the issue.

Reports states that Lupane villagers and members of the police force are living in fear following the alleged kidnapping and assault of a police officer Carryon Ndebele by the Lupane Central Intelligence Organization officer in Charge Jerry Zibotshwa as it appears he is above the law since he has not yet been arrested or taken to court following the incident in which police were said to be investigating to date.

Sources from the Mnangagwa camp have revealed that his national security office in Harare has ordered his Lupane district security officers to probe the assault and write a report on the findings of what happened. "The office of VP Mnangagwa in Harare has order his security officials in Lupane to find out what happened, produce and submit a report on the case to the national office," said the internal source.

Revelations obtained from the Lupane sources are that Zibotshwa is allegedly linked to the disposed former vice president Joice Mujuru faction but it could not be established if the claims were true.

According to villagers in Lupane on February 1, this year a group of CIOs allegedly instructed by Zibotshwa kidnapped Ndebele at Down Store in Lupane after they assaulted him in public.

"They were five of them traveling in a Nissan Twin cab white in colour if not mistaken its registration number is 861," said a villager who feared to be identified.

"They took him to their offices and further assaulted him before they later throw him out of the office and fled after he fell unconscious. There were rain showers on the day and he woke up and reported the matter to the police."

"We are really worried that a major case of kidnapping and assault has occurred here, why is the case not being taken to court and why is the culprit not arrested?" he said.

"It's now two months since that happened and the state witnesses who wanted to testify in the case are now fearing for their security. We think those who witnessed the incident must be moved away from this area because their lives are in danger considering the fact that this culprit seem to be a strong person."

The villager said most of the witnesses in the case are police officers and they are now even afraid to be involved in the case because there are threats being rendered by the CIO boss who tell them that if they testify against him or write any statements about him he will deal with them. "He is boosting that he represents President Robert Mugabe here and no one can do anything to him," said the villager.

"When we ask the police about what is happening concerning the case they also tell us that they are confused over the issue as they do not know what is happening."

Earlier on reports indicated that the case of Zibotshwa was sent to Hwange regional Court in Matabeleland North and he was set to appear at that court but according to reports from Hwange, the case has not yet started. Court officials did not know when the case will start when they were asked. Zibotshwa's junior Clemence Hwanda has since been convicted and fined $300 in connection with the same case but his boss is still free.