Maduwa threatens TTI after assaulting it's employees

A Zimbabwean fitness trainer based in the United States has broken his silence following his arrest in Bulawayo after a confrontation with parking marshals employed by Tendy Three Investments (TTI).

Tendai Humbasha Maduwa, popularly known as Sensei Tendai, who is based in Los Angeles, California, was arrested on Saturday, a day after he was captured on video grabbing and slapping two TTI parking marshals in the Bulawayo city centre.

The incident, which reportedly followed a dispute over the clamping of his vehicle, was widely circulated on social media.

Maduwa has since been released on bail, with the matter still before the courts.

In a video statement following his release, Maduwa gave his version of events, claiming the confrontation started after TTI marshals clamped his vehicle while he was still manoeuvring into a parking bay.

He said TTI supervisors attended the scene after the incident and subsequently apologised.

"They admitted that their guys were wrong and they apologised as they unlocked my vehicle and we shook hands in agreement that this whole nonsense was over," Maduwa said.

According to Maduwa, he had initially considered taking legal action against TTI but decided against pursuing the matter after the incident appeared to have been resolved.

However, he said the situation changed the following day when TTI officials allegedly sought a meeting with him through a mutual friend.

Maduwa claimed he was told that his vehicle had accumulated US$350 in outstanding parking fees, together with a further US$90 in unspecified charges.

He said he agreed to go to the TTI offices with his mutual friend and another acquaintance because he was convinced that he did not owe the company anything.

"I knew that my vehicle had no arrears. I don't even owe even a single dollar on parking ticket. So I knew from the onset that there were no arrears. But I had to go. I'm a law-abiding citizen and I had to go to seek clarification," he said.

Maduwa said he asked TTI supervisors to provide documentation supporting the alleged debt but claimed they failed to produce any evidence.

He alleged that the officials spent about 10 minutes trying to address the issue without producing documentation relating to his vehicle.

"They never produced anything that has to do with the vehicle because there were no arrears. Not even a single dollar parking ticket," he said.

Maduwa said police subsequently arrived at the offices and arrested him.

He further alleged that the circumstances surrounding his arrest were manipulated for public consumption, claiming that a TTI employee filmed him while he was in handcuffs.

"They were so desperate to have my video on cuffs so that they can deal with public optics," he alleged.

Maduwa said he did not resist arrest and voluntarily accompanied police to the station.

"I never refused arrest. I went to the police station," he said.

The fitness trainer declined to discuss the details of the criminal proceedings, citing the fact that the matter remains before the courts.

He nevertheless criticised TTI's conduct and questioned the awarding of a municipal tender to the company to provide parking enforcement services.

"It's so disgraceful to have local gatekeepers giving such companies tenders to account for public service, basic public service provision," he said.

Maduwa also accused TTI supervisors of allegedly misleading him about the outstanding charges in order to get him to their offices.

He further accused the company of using footage of his arrest to damage his reputation, describing the alleged conduct as cyberbullying.

"How can you expect a basic enforcement officer to take accountability when you, as a supervisor, lie or do whatever it takes?" he said.

Maduwa said he intended to pursue legal action over the alleged filming and circulation of the arrest footage.

He also urged members of the public to challenge what they perceive as abuse rather than remain silent.

"We should not be silenced when we are being abused. We should do everything we can to stand for ourselves," he said.

The allegations made by Maduwa have not been independently verified, and TTI's response to his claims was not included in his statement. The criminal proceedings arising from the confrontation remain ongoing.