Home Affairs Minister Kazembe Kazembe, ZRP boss Godwin Matanga evade jail time

The Minister of Home Affairs Kazembe Kazembe and Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) Commissioner General have evaded spending time in prison after a citizen dragged them to court demanding compensation for injuries.

This came after 58 year-old Mavis Muzari was left nursing injuries & hospitalised at Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals after ZRP officers indiscriminately threw a teargas canisters inside a commuter omnibus one of which landed on her lap.

As a result of the negligent police conduct, Muzari was left bleeding from her nose, suffered high blood pressure, sustained serious injury to her foot including some bruises & felt pain all over her body.

This compelled her to engage Tinashe Chinox of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights in 2019 suing Matanga and Kazembe for damages amounting to ZWL142 170 for violation of her fundamental rights including loss of income, pain & suffering, embarrassment, humiliation & future medical expenses.

Apparently, since 2019, ZRP & Kazembe had vacillated to compensate Muzari & in 2021 she filed an application at High Court seeking an order for contempt of court against Kazembe & Matanga & asking them to comply with the Harare Magistrate Court’s decision compelling them to pay a judgment debt of ZWL142 170.

Matanga and Kazembe managed to evaded serving jail time after the law enforcement agency notified one of her lawyers Chinopfukutwa and provided proof of payment indicating that it had settled Muzari’s judgment debt.

Muzari is the latest person among dozens of people who in recent years have won compensation from ZRP after suing for damages arising from violation of their rights as a result of the wayward conduct of some police officers in the execution of their law enforcement duties.

Zwnews