Zimbabwe army ordered to pay US$40 000 to torture victims

Four residents of Shurugwi who suffered physical torture at the hands of Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) officers during the Covid-19 lockdown are set to receive a combined compensation of US$40,000 after a successful legal battle against the army commander and the Defence Minister.

The individuals involved in this case are Grant Zinyuke, Moreblessing Ncube, Batler Jabangwe, and Mavhuto Kachepa, who took Defence Minister Oppah Muchinguri and ZNA commander Lieutenant-General Anselem Sanyatwe to court seeking damages for the abuse they endured in 2021.

The incidents occurred during a government-imposed national lockdown, when soldiers reportedly went on a rampage, brutally assaulting the complainants. Muchinguri and Sanyatwe faced trial at the Shurugwi Magistrates Court, where they were convicted.

In their summons filed at the court, the four residents argued that the soldiers, acting under the authority of Sanyatwe and Muchinguri, engaged in unlawful conduct. They were represented by lawyers Prisca Dube and Jabulani Mhlanga from Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights.

The legal team contended that the soldiers assaulted the residents without just cause, resulting in significant injuries. For example, Zinyuke suffered from swelling on his forehead, lacerations on his upper lip and nose, bruises on his back, and the loss of several teeth, requiring medical treatment.

Ncube was severely beaten on August 1, 2021, while he was outside his residence buying airtime to check on his ailing mother, sustaining swelling and bruises all over his body. Jabangwe, an employee of Shurugwi City Council, was assaulted by soldiers while performing his duties at Makusha shopping centre. He sustained injuries on his back and left leg, which continue to affect him today.

Kachepa faced brutal treatment from soldiers after leaving a beer retail outlet, resulting in two severe fractures in his right leg, along with various bruises and lacerations.

Dube and Mhlanga argued that the actions of the soldiers constituted cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment, leaving the victims traumatized and anxious.

Magistrate Patricia Gwetsayi presided over the case and awarded Zinyuke US$10,000, Kachepa US$12,000, and both Jabangwe and Ncube US$8,000 each as compensation for pain, suffering, trauma, and medical expenses incurred during their recovery.

This landmark ruling serves as a significant acknowledgment of the abuses experienced by ordinary citizens during the lockdown and highlights the importance of accountability within state institutions.