By
Promise
Dube
Human
rights
lawyer
Arnold
Tsunga
says
these
cases
reflect
a
disturbing
pattern
of
abuse
by
law
enforcement
officers
against
civilians,
vendors,
and
even
learners,
warning
that
impunity
remains
a
central
problem.
In
March,
nearly
100
people
were
arrested
during
protests
in
Harare.
According
to
Tsunga,
most
of
those
detained
were
not
involved
in
the
demonstration
but
were
picked
up
while
commuting
home
from
work.
“When
they
appeared
in
court,
it
became
clear
that
the
majority
had
simply
been
in
the
wrong
place
at
the
wrong
time,”
Tsunga
said
.
“Detaining
people
in
such
circumstances
under
filthy
conditions
amounts
to
abuse
of
police
power.”
Public
anger
has
also
been
fuelled
by
the
death
of
30-year-old
Blessed
Believe
Juruvenge,
who
died
after
allegedly
being
severely
beaten
by
Constable
Prince
Ndavambi
while
in
police
custody
at
Ruwa
Police
Station
last
month.
Ndavambi
reportedly
assaulted
Juruvenge
with
a
hoe
handle,
while
fellow
officers
allegedly
watched
without
intervening.
After
weeks
on
the
run,
Ndavambi
was
arrested
on
12
June.
In
a
separate
incident
in
Maphisa,
Matabeleland
South,
police
conducting
a
crime
awareness
campaign
at
Mahetshe
Primary
School
reportedly
beat
several
pupils,
including
toddlers,
sparking
national
outcry.
Witnesses
said
uniformed
officers
slapped
and
caned
the
learners,
leaving
some
injured
and
in
tears.
Parents
and
rights
groups
have
condemned
the
incident
as
unlawful
and
degrading,
prompting
a
government
investigation.
“The
police
are
not
mandated
to
discipline
schoolchildren,”
Tsunga
said,
describing
the
incident
as
a
gross
abuse
of
authority.
The
fresh
allegations
have
revived
memories
of
Zimbabwe’s
post-election
violence
in
2018,
when
soldiers
opened
fire
on
protesters
in
Harare,
killing
six
people.
Despite
a
commission
of
inquiry
led
by
former
South
African
President
Kgalema
Motlanthe
recommending
prosecutions,
no
action
has
been
taken
against
those
responsible.
“These
cases
demonstrate
a
systematic
failure
to
hold
security
forces
accountable,”
Tsunga
said.
“There
is
a
clear
pattern
of
excessive
and
unlawful
force,
which
fosters
public
fear
and
distrust.”
He
urged
the
police
to
adhere
strictly
to
principles
of
legality,
necessity,
proportionality,
and
accountability
in
maintaining
public
order.