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Soldiers accused of torturing villagers in Kariba
02 May 2016 at 07:16hrs | Views
Members of the Zimbabwe National Army have been accused of harassing and assaulting Kariba villagers recently.
This was revealed by the Zimbabwe Peace Project in its monthly report.
ZPP reported that on 30 March 2016, members of the Zimbabwe National Army from the Wafawafa Training Centre in Chirara, Kariba intimidated people in public places such as beer halls and streets.
"On the said date they assaulted people in Nyamhunga 2 in Gadzi Road. One of the people who fell victim to the assaults was Henry Musore (not real name). Musore is a young man who already had an existing eye disorder. He had cataract in one eye and so relied on a single eye to see. He resides in Nyamhunga 2 and was brutally assaulted by soldiers who were moving in a white army truck," reads the report. "It is believed to be an issue of mistaken identity. Three army personnel who spoke isiNdebele asked Musore if he was a driver of a commuter omnibus (kombi) who had on some previous occasion taken the possessions of some fellow soldiers who had failed to pay for the ride they were given by the Kombi."
ZPP said Musore, who has the same name as the Kombi driver the soldiers were looking for, said he was not a kombi driver but an engineer.
"But still the soldiers forcibly dragged Musore to some water tanks behind Nyamhunga beerhall where they punched him with fists and a weapon they reportedly alternated in using believed to be an iron bar. More soldiers came to join their colleagues in the assault such that there ended up being 11 soldiers kicking and beating Musore," reads the report. "They left him for dead. His face is said to have been scarred by the military boots that stepped on his face resulting in him losing sight even in the eye that had previously been working well. He also sustained injuries on his back, arms and fingers. Musore sought medical services for the injuries through the assistance of Counselling Services Unit."
ZPP said police were notified but nothing has been done to bring the culprits to account.
"ZPP spoke to Mashonaland West police spokesperson, Assistant Inspector Ian Kohwera who said he would get back to the organisation, but did not. Subsequent calls to follow up further with Kohwera went unanswered," reads the report..
This was revealed by the Zimbabwe Peace Project in its monthly report.
ZPP reported that on 30 March 2016, members of the Zimbabwe National Army from the Wafawafa Training Centre in Chirara, Kariba intimidated people in public places such as beer halls and streets.
"On the said date they assaulted people in Nyamhunga 2 in Gadzi Road. One of the people who fell victim to the assaults was Henry Musore (not real name). Musore is a young man who already had an existing eye disorder. He had cataract in one eye and so relied on a single eye to see. He resides in Nyamhunga 2 and was brutally assaulted by soldiers who were moving in a white army truck," reads the report. "It is believed to be an issue of mistaken identity. Three army personnel who spoke isiNdebele asked Musore if he was a driver of a commuter omnibus (kombi) who had on some previous occasion taken the possessions of some fellow soldiers who had failed to pay for the ride they were given by the Kombi."
"But still the soldiers forcibly dragged Musore to some water tanks behind Nyamhunga beerhall where they punched him with fists and a weapon they reportedly alternated in using believed to be an iron bar. More soldiers came to join their colleagues in the assault such that there ended up being 11 soldiers kicking and beating Musore," reads the report. "They left him for dead. His face is said to have been scarred by the military boots that stepped on his face resulting in him losing sight even in the eye that had previously been working well. He also sustained injuries on his back, arms and fingers. Musore sought medical services for the injuries through the assistance of Counselling Services Unit."
ZPP said police were notified but nothing has been done to bring the culprits to account.
"ZPP spoke to Mashonaland West police spokesperson, Assistant Inspector Ian Kohwera who said he would get back to the organisation, but did not. Subsequent calls to follow up further with Kohwera went unanswered," reads the report..
Source - Byo24News
