Family of man beaten to death by State House guards threaten not to bury him until justice is served

The family of Levy Musendo, the man who was reportedly beaten to death by State House security officers, has allegedly vowed not bury him until justice is served.

It is reported the family wants justice served to its logical conclusion until they could bury him.

Meanwhile, it seems no one is willing to take responsibility for his death with State House using its power to direct what should be said to the family by the police or health workers who attended to his corpse and what not.

The Musendo family of Mufakose says since their son’s murder last week, they have been moved from one office to another as no one wants to take responsibility.

Allegations are that on August 19, Levy Musendo (35), a “mentally-challenged person but stable and on medication” left the family’s Mufakose home to carry out some errands. He did not return home.

The next morning, his father, Job Musendo, received a phone call from an unidentified police officer at Harare Central Police Station, that his son had been arrested and detained.

Job was advised to bring fresh clothing and food for his son. He also took with him his son medical records that showed he was a mental patient.

At 9am, Job arrived at Harare Central Police Station and sought to see his son, but that was to be the beginning of his woes.

At first, he was told he could not see his son “as the police holding cells wherein he was allegedly held were off bounds,” according to a letter of complaint by the family’s lawyers Kadzere, Hungwe and Mandevere Legal Practitioners dated August 24.

“Mr Job Musendo and his wife were subsequently shuffled from pillar to post, from one office to the other for the greater part of the day and were eventually advised that their child had been taken to Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals for medical attention as he had some severe injuries and was bleeding profusely from the nose and mouth,” the lawyers stated.

They inquired as to the cause of the injuries, but the officers attending to them were evasive, only to be told later that Levy had been injured while “attempting to break into the Zimbabwe State House at No 1 Chancellor Avenue” the lawyers said.

After spending much of the day at the police station, they were led into the office of Chief Superintendent Moyo at around 4pm, who broke the news of their son’s death.

Job and his wife again requested to see Levy’s body, but were not afforded the opportunity and, instead, told that “the body was in the custody of the State”

Zwnews, Bulawayo 24