Woman suffers breast injuries from ZRP shooting, ‘can’t breastfeed 3 month-old son,’ suing State

In Hwange in Matabeleland North province, Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) lawyer Prisca Dube has served notices of intention to sue the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) on behalf of 2 women Twaboni Nyoni and Zulani Mudenda claiming damages for pain, suffering and for medical expenses.

The ZLHR says the damages are arising as a result of unlawful conduct of some ZRP members who recklessly and indiscriminately fired shots at them in 2020 during a police raid on alleged illegal coke vendors in Madumabisa Village 2 in Hwange in Matabeleland North province.

It is said as a result of the shooting, Nyoni sustained injuries on one of her breasts and can no longer breastfeed her 3 month-old son on that particular breast, a situation that would affect the welfare of the child.

In the case of Mudenda, ZLHR says she was also shot by a firearm belonging to a ZRP officer, who was among a team of law enforcement agents meant to be dealing with some alleged illegal coke vendors in Hwange. Mudenda was shot as she was coming from work & walking to her homestead.

The lawyers’ body says as a result of the shooting, Mudenda sustained serious injuries on the stomach, severe loss of blood that upon admission at a local hospital, she required a transfusion of 5 pints of blood and the extent of her injuries required specialised treatment at Mater Dei Hospital.

Apart from the pain which she endured, the lawyers say the incident left Mudenda severely traumatised & unable to fully cope with life while also fearing for her safety & that of her family.

-Zwnews