The Sunday News
Mthabisi Tshuma, Sunday News Correspondent
THE case of six police officers charged with assaulting two women in Cowdray Park in Bulawayo was on Wednesday postponed to commence trial on July 13.
This was after the accused’s lawyer Nkosiyabo Sibanda of Tanaka Law Chambers asked for a postponement citing that he had an ongoing matter at the High Court.
The accused persons made the appearance before West Commonage Magistrate’s Court magistrate Ms Tancy Dube on Wednesday. The matter was also postponed May 9 after it was decided that further investigations had to be carried out on the matter before the suspects are taken to court.
The six accused police officers, Simbarashe Bvekwa (26), Tichaona Zariro (34), Patson Gumoreyi (30), Elizabeth Denhere (41), Zibusiso Masuku (27) and Christabel Munyondo (28) are facing charges of two counts of assault each.
Prosecuting, Public Prosecutor Mr Kenneth Shava said the complaints were allegedly brutally assaulted for hours with batons on their backs, hips and legs by the police officers who arrested them for violating the ongoing national lockdown regulations when they met on April 16 at around 12PM at Cowdray park shops.
The accused persons were on duty enforcing lockdown regulations meant to combat the spread of the coronavirus.
The two women had reportedly gone to buy food at a local supermarket before they were allegedly arrested by three officers that picked them out from a queue and cuffed their hands behind their backs.
They were then allegedly force-marched, in between severe beatings and tribally charged insults, through a bushy pathway leading to Cowdray Park Police Base.
At the police station, they alleged that they were further subjected to abuse by officers who took turns to assault them, leading to severe injuries.
“The women told them they were coming from buying meat from the butchery. They grabbed them by the hands and hit them with a button stick several times on their buttocks.
“During the process, Ntombizodwa’s cellphone, which was in her backpocket, got damaged. She then approached the accused persons to tell them that they had damaged her phone,” said Mr Shava.
Mr Shava said the two women were released the next day after they paid a fine.
“They were released on April 17 after paying a fine of ZWL$200 each,” he said.
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