The Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) has paid US$23 500 compensation to a Bindura resident assaulted by soldiers while enforcing Covid-19 national lockdown regulations in April 2020.
The Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) said Ngobile Ndlovu, a victim of human rights violations during the lockdown, instituted legal action against the ZNA and Defence minister Oppah Muchinguri after soldiers assaulted him.
Ndlovu engaged ZLHR lawyers Gift Mtisi and Nelson Tonhodzayi, who filed a summons at the High Court seeking damages arising from the assault.
According to ZLHR, Ndlovu was assaulted by four soldiers on April 14, 2020, at a tuckshop in Bindura, Mashonaland Central province.
“The soldiers, Ndlovu charged, took him to Bindura Hospital after the assault and dumped him at the hospital entrance,” ZLHR said.
Despite being in pain, Ndlovu managed to record a video of the soldiers leaving the scene.
ZLHR reported that the soldiers later visited Ndlovu while he was hospitalized and offered to settle the matter through compensation.
Afterwards, the rogue soldiers cut communication with Ndlovu, forcing him to seek assistance from ZLHR, whose lawyers immediately filed a summons at the High Court claiming damages.
- 'Gukurahundi survivors denied food aid'
- ZLHR pushes for PVOs Bill abolishment
- Mudenda rejects opposition legislators’ PVOs Bill plea
- Arrested UZ student granted $10 000 bail
Keep Reading
High Court judge Justice Nyaradzo Munangati-Manongwa subsequently ruled in Ndlovu's favour and awarded him US$23 500 in damages.
The award comprised US$3 000 in special damages and US$20 500 in general damages.
