Harare family clashes with cops over arrest

A Harare man and his two nephews were over the weekend arrested on allegations of assaulting and apprehending two thieves they had caught stealing at their orchard/nursery in Braeside area, a move which has been condemned by their family members.

The man has been identified as Peter Tendai Murwisi and his nephews Gwinyai Chakonda and Morgan Dhliwayo.

They will appear in court soon facing assault charges.

Murwisi operates a council-approved orchard/nursery at the back of their yard along Glenara Avenue and he grafts trees and sells seedlings or shoots.

According to the family, Murwisi has had several incidents of theft which were reported at Braeside Police Station during the past and due to the losses he recently installed a CCTV and an electric alarm system on the site.

It is reported that last Wednesday night they noticed that the alarm system had been triggered by an intruder and Murwisi then checked on their CCTV and saw one of the suspected thief in the orchard/nursery.

He then drove to the scene while in the company of his son, two nephews and a neighbour and caught the thieves red-handed, who resisted to be apprehended resulting in an altercation.

They later apprehended them before taking the two suspects to Braeside Police Station where the officers asked them to drive the two to Sally Mugabe Hospital to have their injuries checked.

It is alleged that one of the suspects was said to have sustained fractured limbs and was then admitted at the hospital, while the other one was released.

The Murwisi family said both the suspects were not questioned or even arrested for the offence they were caught committing but Murwisi, Chakonda, Dhliwayo and their neighbour were detained by the same police officers on Saturday for "assault" against the suspects.

The family then engaged a lawyer, Mr Peter Kawonde, who went to the police station to seek clarification as to the charges against the four.

When asked for comment, Harare provincial police spokesperson Inspector Luckmore Chakanza said investigations on the case were still in progress.

He however said that members of the public should desists from taking the law into their own hands and should surrender to the police anyone they have apprehended on allegations of committing a crime.

Insp Chakanza said the law was very clear in that people will also be arrested for meting out instant justice on suspected criminals.

He said if anyone feels that their cases were also not properly handled by the police they should also follow the normal procedures of making a complaint against the police so that their cases will be investigated.