One Human Rights Lawyer Assaulted, Two Others Threatened

The Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum - April 16, 2001, v.8
Zimbabwe Parliamentary Election Challenges Newsletter

One Human Rights Lawyer Assaulted, Two Others Threatened
The Chairperson of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) was assaulted
and two lawyers working for the Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum narrowly
escaped in ZANU (PF) instigated violence in the Chikomba constituency on
Saturday, April 7. In a letter to the Commissioner of Police in Harare, Mr.
Tawanda Hondora, of ZLHR, stated that members of ZANU (PF) assaulted him
while police watched. Mr. Gabriel Shumba and Mr. Godfrey Mupanga, both of
the Forum, managed to escape but were threatened with assault when they
arrived at the local Sadza Police Station to make a complaint.

The three had traveled to Chikomba, in the Mashonaland East province, to
investigate allegations of intimidation and assault directed at witnesses in
the election challenges currently before the High Court. Mr. Hondora is
representing Peter Kaunda, the MDC candidate for Chikomba, who is contesting
his defeat on the basis of abuses directed at MDC supporters and electoral
irregularities.

They arrived at Sadza Growth Point and soon noticed a crowd wearing ZANU
(PF) t-shirts and army attire assembling in the area. Mr. Shumba went for
the car in case violence occurred while the other two stayed behind to
witness the rally. The crowd soon started chasing after one of Mr. Hondora's
witnesses, Nelson Chivanga. The assailants were armed with stones, axes,
knobkerries and other weapons.

At this point the crowd turned on the three men saying that they were
outsiders and calling them 'sellouts' and 'stooges of the white man'. Mr.
Hondora was caught and beaten. Mr. Shumba managed to escape and was hidden
by a resident of a nearby homestead. Mr. Mupanga managed to drive away to
safety.

At the time that Mr. Hondora was caught, Mr. Chivanga was already being
severely beaten. Mr. Hondora was hit, kicked, slapped and whipped. He
sustained bruises to his head, a possibly broken jaw, a bloody nose, a cut
lip, lacerations and his molars have been weakened which caused him
difficulty in consuming solid food for days afterwards. In addition his
glasses were broken and his clothes were torn from the attack.

The three met up at the Sadza Police Station. Mr. Shumba and Mr. Mupanga
went to make a complaint and discovered that Mr. Hondora was already there
with Mr. Chivanga. Both men asked to be taken to a medical clinic but their
request was refused. While in detention they were beaten further, searched
and interrogated as to their affiliation with the MDC. Mr. Hondora alleges
that Constable Cuthbert Mapfumo held him while he was being assaulted and
that Constable Moses Zhakata participated in the assaults. Also present were
Constable Mafandizvo, Constable Masaringo and Constable Nikisi. Assistant
Inspector Majora ordered all police officers present to be armed with rifles
and live ammunition. The rifles were pointed at the four men. In addition
the men produced documents that identified them as officers of the court but
these documents were swept to the floor and ignored.

Majora took Mr. Shumba and Mr. Mupanga into an adjacent room and lectured
them on his view of the MDC. He asked how, as educated men, they could be
used by white people. In addition he had their car searched and threatened
to call war veteran leader Chenjerai Hunzvi, other war veterans and the army
to 'discipline' them. After these incidents, which took about three hours,
the men were released.

The three men made a report to the police in Harare when they returned. The
Sadza Police Station was phoned for information but officials there denied
any such event took place. At the moment Mr. Hondora is contemplating legal
action against the police and individual police officers involved in the
attack.

Prepared by the Amani Trust. Founded in 1993, Amani Trust is a Zimbabwe
human rights non-governmental organization whose mission is to offer
rehabilitation to survivors of organized violence and torture and their
families. It also aims to make the nation aware of the consequences of
organized violence and torture, and to work towards the prevention of future
organized violence and torture. Amani Trust is also a member of the
Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum, a coordinating body and coalition of nine
Zimbabwean human rights organizations, which works to provide legal
assistance to political violence victims.
Address: 1 Raleigh Street, Harare, Zimbabwe
Email: [email protected]
Telephone: 792222