ZHOMBE — An MDC-T activist, Kudakwashe Gomba, from Mapiya village was on Saturday arrested by police in Zhombe after he had gone to the station to file a report against Zanu PF activists who had threatened to beat him up.
BLESSED MHLANGA
Human rights lawyer Reginald Chidawanyika confirmed to the Southern Eye the arrest of his client, adding that Gomba had been detained until yesterday when he was brought to the Kwekwe Magistrates’ Courts.
Gomba, however, did not appear in court after dockets were returned to the police for further investigations.
Gomba was arrested and charged with unlawful entry and threats of violence in a case where Zanu PF secretary for the women’s league, Clara Ncube, from the same village is the complainant.
“We did not appear in court because the matter was then referred back to the police because the circumstances, which are supposed to back the case, are hazy and dubious,” Chidawanyika said.
According to the charge sheet, the police alleged that on June 28, Gomba went to Ncube’s house, which is over 10km away from his home, in the middle of the night.
He allegedly knocked at her door, but when nobody answered, Gomba is alleged to have forcefully opened the door and threatened to deal with her.
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Ncube then called the area councillor Chamunorwa Zishamira and told him about the matter.
It is the State’s case that Zishamira, Ncube and other Zanu PF activists then drove to Gomba’s house where they found him asleep.
“My client was then threatened despite protests that he had never left his house that night and since he had no car he could not have travelled over 10km to Ncube’s homestead and back in a flash,” Chidawanyika said.
“He was disturbed by this incident and went to report to the police the following morning.”
Gomba said police recorded his statement as a witness and complainant, but was later told he was the accused when Zishamira and Ncube arrived at the police station.
Outgoing Zhombe MP Roger Tazviona said the behaviour of the police was deplorable and should not be accepted in a democratic country.
“This partisan application of the law is deplorable and should be condemned at all costs. This is why as the MDC, we are calling for security sector reforms,” he said.
“How do you turn a victim into an accused without full investigations?”
The matter will proceed by ways of summons once investigations are complete.
