Police brutality victim’s body awaits postmortem; We won’t sweep anything under the carpet—says ZRP

By James Muonwa l Mashonaland West Correspondent

THE Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) has launched a full investigation into the tragic death of a 26-year-old Banket man inside police holding cells after sustaining injuries as a result of alleged assault by members of the force.

Three unidentified special constabulary details, commonly known as Neighbourhood Watch Committee (NWCs) members, are now under probe for allegedly severely assaulting a suspect to death inside detention cells at Banket Police Station.

ZRP national spokesperson, Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi told NewZimbabwe.com that police will leave no stone unturned in establishing what really transpired on the fateful day leading to David Kanyenze’s death.

“There are a number of issues we need to clarify as ZRP command…It’s a matter we are currently investigating as we await postmortem results which will also guide our investigations.

“But l can assure you, it is an issue we are seriously looking into so that we really establish what transpired, from the arrests, we are looking at all the events leading to the unfortunate death.

“We will not sweep anything under the carpet. We will be very open and objective in our investigations, that l want to assure the public,” said Nyathi.

A postmortem by a pathologist is expected to be conducted in Harare on November 9, at the earliest.

The late David Kanyenze

Sources told NewZimbabwe.com that the three police NWC members in question took turns to beat up Kanyenze last Friday evening using unidentified objects resulting in him sustaining grievous bodily injuries. As if that was not enough, one of them stomped the suspect twice on the neck and chest, thereby choking him.

The victim was reportedly rushed to hospital already dead, merely to conceal the fact he had passed on within police premises.

The now deceased’s elder brother, Brian Kanyenze, told this publication his family was fearful ZRP might distort the true account of events to protect its members.

Already, he alleged, there was a bid to conceal the cold-blooded murder of his young brother after ZRP Banket reportedly wanted to open a sudden death docket (SDD), but relatives stopped the move demanding an inquest into the suspected gruesome killing.

“As l was trying to report a murder case at Banket Police Station, l overheard some police officers conniving to distort the true version of how things went by, including lying that my brother was intoxicated.

“We don’t think this matter will be handled competently and fairly as already there are indicators no one within ZRP really wants to take the blame, but they are preferring to protect one another,” he alleged.

It is said the now deceased, a tout for pirate taxis plying the Banket—Chinhoyi route, was wanted by police for malicious damage to property after allegedly destroying a weighing scale at a butchery situated at Kuwadzana shopping center in Banket.

The butchery equipment was damaged three weeks ago in an altercation between workers at an adjacent canteen and David, who refused to pay for food he had eaten complaining it was poorly cooked.

Following his arrest early last week, the now deceased was hauled to Banket police where he was thrown into cells but later escaped from lawful custody.

He was re-arrested on Friday at Kuwadzana shops by NWC members and, again, taken to the station, where they started beating him up around 5pm.

They later abandoned the bloodied victim in the cell battling for his life.

Other cell inmates are said to have raised alarm after sensing victim was having difficulties in breathing. He was then rushed to Banket District Hospital, where he was pronounced dead reportedly due to the savage act by NWC members.

Meanwhile, the protracted funeral wake in Banket’s Kuwadzana township, which entails feeding hordes of mourners, is taking a toll on the bereaved family financially and emotionally, amid appeals for help.

The case has attracted keen interest from human rights lawyers who are reportedly lining up to assist the Kanyenze family get justice for their slain relative.