WASHINGTON - A Zimbabwean court has ordered five police officers, Commissioner General Godwin Matanga and Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage Minister Kazembe Kazembe to pay ZWL$1,7 million to prominent and award-winning poet and author, Obert Dube, as compensation for violating his rights after they assaulted him in January 2021 in the resort town of Victoria Falls.
In a tweet, the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights said Dube was assaulted for allegedly violating a government-imposed curfew meant to curb the spread of coronavirus.
The court ruled that Dube, who was represented by ZLHR’s Jabulani Mhlanga was assaulted by Constable Munashe Chikoto, Constable Samson Moyo, Constable Njabulo Ngwenya, Constable Nkosilathi Moyo and Constable Shelton Mathe.
Court documents indicate that they assaulted him using truncheons, open palms and booted feet after accusing him of loitering in Mkosana suburb in Victoria Falls in violation of a dusk-to-dawn curfew.
Victoria Falls Magistrate Godswill Mavenge ordered the five ZRP officers, Matanga & Hon. Kazembe to pay the damages within 90 days of the granting of his order.
The compensation is for medical expenses, which Dube incurred in treating some injuries he sustained, pain and suffering and other “delictual damages arising as a result of the unlawful conduct of ZRP officers.”
Reacting to the court ruling, Dube said, “I was traumatized by police officers and they still continue victimising me. On 27 December armed police officers with dogs raided my home around 1am. I wasn't there and when I called them I didn't get a clear answer.
“My kids are traumatized and don't feel comfortable when they see a police officer they run away. I don't know how that will be solved. That money (awarded by the court) won't make my kids feel comfortable at all. It was better if the court offered counselling to my kids who are very young.”
Matanga and Kazembe Kazembe were unreachable for comment as they were not responding to calls on their mobile phones.