Rutendo Chirume
Human Rights lawyer Martin Mureri who is representing the family of the deceased MDC-Alliance activist Nyasha Zhambe who was assaulted by suspected Zanu-PF youths during his leader Nelson Chamisa’s tour of Masvingo province in October said the police are dilly dallying with the matter.
Mureri said he wrote a letter to Officer-in Charge Gutu ZRP on November 30 with a seven day ultimatum demanding to know the stage at which the case was since the deceased had filed a police report on assault before he died.
He however said the police responded on December 2 saying the matter was referred to Masvingo Law and Order Division on October 16 for further investigations.
“I was at Masvingo Magistrate Court to file another letter requesting to know why since October 16 the case has not been investigated and why no arrests have been made yet,” said Mureri.
The deceased’s family members who were taken by the police are the deceased’s wife and two brothers.
When contacted for comment Masvingo Provincial Police Spokesperson Kudzakwashe Dhewa reffered all questions to the National Police Spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi who in turn wasn’t answering his cell.
Mureri wrote a letter to Gutu ZRP demanding police to bring to book the suspected Zanu PF youths accused of assaulting Nyasha Zhambe who later died as a result of the attack.
The letter dated November 30, 2021 was addressed to Gutu ZRP officer in charge Inspector Cames Muyambo stating that the late Zhambe’s family demands to know why there have not been any arrests when the deceased had laid charges against the perpetrators before he passed on.
“Our client informed us that their relative, the now deceased Nyasha Zhambe made a police report of assault at your station on October 14, 2021. He told Sgt Nyoni the assault was perpetrated on him on the same day at around 1400hours. He provided the names of perpetrators.
“Your Sgt Nyoni in the request for medication clearly pointed out that the now deceased was assaulted with fists and logs on the face and right knee several times. Unfortunately, Nyasha Zhambe passed on due to these injuries and to date no arrests had been effected. Our client instructed us to demand the outcome of the report made to you by Nyasha Zhambe or the stage of investigation. We demand is to know within seven days, failure of which we will take further steps without notifying you,” read the letter.
Mureri said the decision was made after the police arrested Zhambe family members on November 29 whom they took to the police station but later released them after five hours.
It is also reported that before the family members were taken to the police, they were approached by some people claiming that they were from ZBC TV ordering them to say Zhambe did not die due to the injuries he sustained during the assault.
