Victims of police brutality to be paid $500k
Home Affairs minister Kazembe Kazembe and Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) Commissioner-General Godwin Matanga have been ordered to pay over $500 000 compensation to two Beitbridge residents who were attacked by police dogs last year.
Edmund Zeyazeya and Benson Tawengwa sued Kazembe and Matanga for damages amounting to $3 million and $1 million respectively after they were severely bitten by a police dog on August 1, 2020, at a fuel station in the border town.
Police officers enforcing a COVID-19 lockdown arrested the duo to cover up for their negligence in handling the police dog and charged them with disorderly conduct.
Zeyazeya and Tawengwa were fined and released on the same day.
Through their lawyer, Patrick Tererai of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, they, later on, challenged the conviction that was made based on the fine which they paid and sought an order for the refund of their money.
The order was granted in September 2020. They then filed the summons on December 4, 2020, at Beitbridge Magistrates Court demanding compensation.
Lawyers representing the police recently agreed to pay $425 000 to Zeyazeya and $85 000 to Tawengwa as damages arising from the unlawful conduct by the law enforcement agents.
More people have previously successfully sued the state for state security brutality.
In July this year, a Harare magistrate ordered Matanga and Kazembe to pay USD10 000 to Canaan Machando and his wife Sipetangani Machando as compensation for violation of their fundamental rights and their property.
More: NewsDay
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