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Muchinguri, Sanyatwe to pay army brutality victims US$38,000
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A Shurugwi magistrate has ruled that Defence Minister Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri and Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) Commander Lieutenant-General Anselem Sanyatwe must pay a total of US$38,000 in compensation to four residents who were assaulted by soldiers during the COVID-19 national lockdown in August 2021.
The residents - Grant Zinyuke, Moreblessing Ncube, Batler Jabangwe, and Mavhuto Kachepa - successfully sued Muchinguri-Kashiri and Sanyatwe for the violation of their rights, with legal representation from the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, including lawyers Prisca Dube and Jabulani Mhlanga.
In her ruling, Magistrate Patricia Gwetsayi ordered the defendants to pay Zinyuke US$10,000 and US$12,000 to Ncube, Jabangwe, and Kachepa, with each receiving US$8,000 for damages related to pain, suffering, trauma, and medical expenses incurred due to the assaults.
The court heard that the soldiers had gone on a rampage while enforcing the government-imposed lockdown, brutally assaulting the four men. The plaintiffs argued that the soldiers acted unlawfully and without just cause while executing their duties, making Muchinguri-Kashiri and Sanyatwe vicariously liable for their actions.
The evidence presented included detailed accounts of the injuries sustained by the victims. Zinyuke reported injuries including swelling on his forehead, lacerations on his lip and nose, and bruises on his back, along with lost teeth that required medical treatment. Ncube suffered severe swelling and bruises all over his body after being attacked by soldiers while purchasing airtime to check on his ailing mother.
Jabangwe was assaulted after returning from work at Makusha shopping centre, where soldiers accused him of loitering. He now experiences pain in his back and leg, making it difficult to wear closed shoes, and remains traumatized by the incident. Kachepa, who was assaulted by soldiers while walking home from a beer retail outlet, sustained two fractures in his right leg and numerous bruises across his body.
The plaintiffs' lawyers characterized the soldiers' actions as "cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment," leaving the victims traumatized and in shock. The ruling serves as a significant reminder of the accountability of state officials and the protection of citizens' rights, especially during times of crisis.
The residents - Grant Zinyuke, Moreblessing Ncube, Batler Jabangwe, and Mavhuto Kachepa - successfully sued Muchinguri-Kashiri and Sanyatwe for the violation of their rights, with legal representation from the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, including lawyers Prisca Dube and Jabulani Mhlanga.
In her ruling, Magistrate Patricia Gwetsayi ordered the defendants to pay Zinyuke US$10,000 and US$12,000 to Ncube, Jabangwe, and Kachepa, with each receiving US$8,000 for damages related to pain, suffering, trauma, and medical expenses incurred due to the assaults.
The court heard that the soldiers had gone on a rampage while enforcing the government-imposed lockdown, brutally assaulting the four men. The plaintiffs argued that the soldiers acted unlawfully and without just cause while executing their duties, making Muchinguri-Kashiri and Sanyatwe vicariously liable for their actions.
The evidence presented included detailed accounts of the injuries sustained by the victims. Zinyuke reported injuries including swelling on his forehead, lacerations on his lip and nose, and bruises on his back, along with lost teeth that required medical treatment. Ncube suffered severe swelling and bruises all over his body after being attacked by soldiers while purchasing airtime to check on his ailing mother.
Jabangwe was assaulted after returning from work at Makusha shopping centre, where soldiers accused him of loitering. He now experiences pain in his back and leg, making it difficult to wear closed shoes, and remains traumatized by the incident. Kachepa, who was assaulted by soldiers while walking home from a beer retail outlet, sustained two fractures in his right leg and numerous bruises across his body.
The plaintiffs' lawyers characterized the soldiers' actions as "cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment," leaving the victims traumatized and in shock. The ruling serves as a significant reminder of the accountability of state officials and the protection of citizens' rights, especially during times of crisis.
Source - newsday
