Harare - Police in Harare on Wednesday night attempted to abduct Partson Dzamara, younger brother to Itai Dzamara, who was abducted in March last year, his lawyer told a Harare Magistrate Friday.
Partson, who was taking part in a 16 days and 16 nights sit-in at Africa Unity Square in Harare to protest against the mismanagement of the economy by the Zanu PF government, was later arrested with four other activists on charges of robbery and attempting to defeat the course of justice.
The lawyer for the activists, Obey Shava of the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, told the court when they appeared for initial remand that his clients, Dzamara, Pride Mukono, Oliver Chikumba, Tatenda Mombeyarara and Zvikomborero Haruzivishe had been assaulted by the police on arrest.
Shava said one detective assistant inspector Chafa of the Zimbabwe police law and order section, in the company of two plain clothes officers, had attempted to abduct Partson Dzamara but had abandoned their mission after Chafa realized he had been identified by Dzamara.
Shava said the police had attempted from the first day of occupation of the square to threaten the accused persons and discourage them from continuing with their action but they had continued notwithstanding.
“Having failed to disperse the accused, an unmarked vehicle arrived at the square and the person who was driving ordered the two gentlemen dressed in plain clothes to bundle first (Partson) and fifth (Haruzivishe) into the vehicle. The accused resisted and while resisting first accused identified the driver as one detective assistant inspector Chafa of the law and order section,” he said.
Shava said Dzamara had positively identified Chafa as it was not his first time to encounter the officer and there was no way he could have mistaken his identity.
He alleged Chafa had sped off at high speed on realizing that he had been identified, adding this was disturbing especially coming from law enforcement agents in a country where there was a history of abductions carried out by people driving unmarked vehicles.
Dzamara and the four other activists appeared before Magistrate Tendai Mahwe. They each face one charge of robbery and another of attempting to defeat the course of justice and were granted $500 bail each on each charge.
The state alleged the group had attacked two women who were passing through the Africa Unity Square and robbed them of their bags and $30 cash on the night of June 8.
The women are said to have screamed for help and were assisted by constables Nyazema, Nhidza and Makona who were patrolling the area.
The state further alleged that the group tried to resist arrest and stole a service cap and button stick from one of the constables. The state said the items allegedly stolen from police were later found in possession of Dzamara, while the bags were allegedly found at the crime scene.
African News Agency