Top cop slaps, jails breastfeeding female officer, Rights group speaks

THE top cop who allegedly slapped and jailed a breastfeeding female officer has been blasted by human rights groups.

Assistant Commissioner Musarashana Mabunda, the Acting Officer Commanding Midlands Province, allegedly slapped Constable Muroyiwa and strip-searched her before subjecting her to humiliating frog jumps in front of criminal suspects.

He is alleged to have locked her in police cells overnight, it is claimed as punishment for the police officer's failure to salute him when he made an unannounced visit to Nehanda Police Station where she was the duty Officer-In-Charge.

Musasa Women's Project director, Netty Musanhu, said Ass Comm Mubunda's conduct affected the confidence of women at the workplace.

She said: "Many women in society look up to female police officers for inspiration to join the force. We still have a long way to go as a nation if a female police officer can be humiliated like that.

"If such abuse and violence can be perpetrated by a senior police officer, what more ordinary men and husbands? It really does not matter what position you hold at the workplace or in society, violence is violence, it should be condemned."

Musanhu said the Nehanda case was one of many such incidents of violence and abuse that are taking place at the workplace. She said many women were suffering silently either at home or at the workplace as they feared losing their jobs.

"Women are sexually harassed at the workplace. The Nehanda incident is not an isolated case. This makes it difficult for women in homes to come out and report cases of abuse to the police because it's now the police itself that is victimising women," said Musanhu.

The Midlands spokesperson for Padare/Enkhundleni Men's Forum on Gender, Paul Juru, said Mabunda's actions, if true, were a "gross abuse of office".

He said Padare expects the law to take its course and have Ass Comm Mabunda punished accordingly.

Said Juru: "The police chief's behaviour is an abomination. We don't condone such behaviour as Padare/Enkundleni. Every human being should be respected. Every worker should be respected. This is contained in our constitution. We call upon every man to be a man of quality and condemn violence. People in high offices should be responsible and respect their subordinates".

Juru said Padare will be carrying out a series of awareness campaigns on gender-based violence and abuse of women or men at the work place.

He said the awareness campaigns were meant to encourage women and girls who are subjected to violence and abuse either at home or the workplace to come out in the open.

"Women want to safeguard their jobs and end up being abused in the process. This also gives rise to the abuse of girls in the world as they seek employment," said Juru.

Juru said the Zimbabwe police force had many professional officers and the few who are bad should be weeded out.

Constable Muroyiwa was expected to appear before an internal police hearing yesterday. It could not be established at the time of going to press whether the hearing went ahead, despite the public outcry condemning Ass Comm Mabunda's violent conduct.

Last Sunday, Ass Comm Mabunda is alleged to have impounded a kombi which had passengers on board and had it driven to Nehanda Police. Sources say Asst Comm Mabunda was clad in civilian attire and Const Muroyiwa was the Officer-In-Charge of the 2PM to 10PM shift.

Asst Comm Mabunda, it is claimed, instructed Const Muroyiwa to take the personal details of the kombi passengers.

The police boss then identified himself and the constable immediately instructed other officers to freeze and salute their superior.

But Ass Comm Mabunda, it is alleged, asked  Const Muroyiwa why they had not saluted him all along, but before she could answer, she was subjected to humiliating punishment, including a body search.