News / National
'Zimbabwe police set dogs on protestors'
07 Jul 2016 at 21:32hrs | Views
The Zimbabwe Republic police has been accused of setting their dogs on protestors they had arrested after conducting door-to-door raids in the Harare suburbs of Mabvuku, Zimre Park and Epworth in the aftermath of Monday's riots.
Human rights lawyers who appeared before the Harare Magistrates' Courts representing the suspected 105 rioters spoke of harrowing experiences that their clients endured at the hands of law enforcement agents then.
According to the lawyers, including Trust Manda, Arnold Taruvinga, Obey Shava, Gift Mtisi and Jeremiah Bhamu, dogs were set on the suspects, who up to yesterday were still to receive medical attention, notwithstanding their wounds.
"The accused persons were fed to dogs by police and two of those who suffered the attack are juveniles of school-going age.
"Some of them were fortunately hospitalised but the only form of medical attention they got was bandages.
"Further to that, the police officers knowing fully well that the accused persons had been attacked by dogs never made any effort to ensure they were treated for rabies," Bhamu said.
About 10 of the accused persons who were mauled by the police dogs stood before Harare provincial magistrate, Vakayi Chikwekwe, and displayed their wounds and blood-stained clothes.
"Accused 10, Gradual Chareka, is immobilised and cannot stand on his own. Their condition is grave and requires further medical attention. They are being kept under degrading and inhuman detention conditions," Bhamu added, also raising concern about how the police had detained some minors.
"Section 18 (1) (i) of the Constitution speaks for the rights of children and that their detention should only be a measure of last resort. They ought to have been kept from prison.
"We would also want it put on record that from July 4 to date, the accused persons were not allowed access to food," he said.
Bail application of the accused was postponed to today.
Human rights lawyers who appeared before the Harare Magistrates' Courts representing the suspected 105 rioters spoke of harrowing experiences that their clients endured at the hands of law enforcement agents then.
According to the lawyers, including Trust Manda, Arnold Taruvinga, Obey Shava, Gift Mtisi and Jeremiah Bhamu, dogs were set on the suspects, who up to yesterday were still to receive medical attention, notwithstanding their wounds.
"The accused persons were fed to dogs by police and two of those who suffered the attack are juveniles of school-going age.
"Some of them were fortunately hospitalised but the only form of medical attention they got was bandages.
About 10 of the accused persons who were mauled by the police dogs stood before Harare provincial magistrate, Vakayi Chikwekwe, and displayed their wounds and blood-stained clothes.
"Accused 10, Gradual Chareka, is immobilised and cannot stand on his own. Their condition is grave and requires further medical attention. They are being kept under degrading and inhuman detention conditions," Bhamu added, also raising concern about how the police had detained some minors.
"Section 18 (1) (i) of the Constitution speaks for the rights of children and that their detention should only be a measure of last resort. They ought to have been kept from prison.
"We would also want it put on record that from July 4 to date, the accused persons were not allowed access to food," he said.
Bail application of the accused was postponed to today.
Source - Daily News
