ONE of the 210 anti-riot police helmets recovered from the
basement of Robinson House in Harare last week belonged to a police sergeant
who was killed in political violence that erupted near Harvest House in Harare
three years ago, a top police officer has said.
Police last Saturday raided Robinson House and recovered
210 police helmets and 46 others belonging to Harare City Council. This
followed an attack on a uniformed policeman by thugs closer to the building.
When police officers sought to arrest the suspects, they
ran into the basement of Robinson House with police in hot pursuit.
While inside, police recovered the helmets and a fleet of
unregistered vehicles suspected to be exhibits in some cases of violence around
town, among other items.
Addressing journalists in Harare yesterday, national police
spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said investigations had shown
that one of the helmets was the one used by the now late Sergeant Talkmore
Phiri when he was slain.
“Police have established that one of the recovered helmets
belonged to a police officer who was murdered in Harare in 2016 during the
process of politically-motivated violence,” he said.
In an interview after the Press conference, Asst Comm
Nyathi said the late Sgt Phiri’s helmet was positively identified by the police
and it also bore his name.
Asst Comm Nyathi said the late Sgt Phiri was assaulted by
the mob together with a female colleague, who survived with serious injuries.
“The helmet was the one used by the late Sgt Phiri who was
stoned to death in town. During the attack, a female officer was also seriously
injured and spent time in hospital,” he said.
Asst Comm Nyathi said Commissioner-General Godwin Matanga
had since instituted internal investigations to establish how the helmets were
sold to civilians through auction.
“Meanwhile, the Commissioner-General of Police has
instituted full investigations into the alleged disposal of police riot helmets
to members of the public,” he said.
This followed claims by a Harare businessman Mr Mitchel
Chibwe that he had bought part of the helmets from ABC Auctions after they had
been disposed of by police’s Ordinance Section.
In 2016, Sgt Phiri was attacked and killed by thugs that
operate at Harvest House (now Morgan Tsvangirai House) in Harare’s central
business district, during the illegal and violent demonstration.
Sgt Phiri was among police officers who had been deployed to
the Deeds Office near Morgan Tsvangirai House, where the rogue vendors had
allegedly damaged property.
Sgt Phiri and his workmate, Constable Concillia Gumbo, were
stoned and fell from a police vehicle.
The gang caught up with him and further stoned him, before
kicking and punching him.
Asst Comm Nyathi said last Saturday police also observed
rocks that were positioned on several spots in the basement of Robinson House,
indicating that they were deliberately stored there.
He said Robinson House was now believed to be a hideout for
violence perpetrators.
“The police have established that Robison House basement is
a hideout for criminals who also have political inclinations.
“Members of the public are advised that the police are
treating this case as a serious and grave incident whose full ramifications are
yet to be fully established,” he said.
Asst Comm Nyathi said contrary to various reports on social
media by individuals and groups about the helmets, they have not been fully
accounted for nor has there been any concrete proof on why they were stored at
the building.
“An individual, who approached the police after the
recovery of the helmets, has only laid official claim to a fraction of the
helmets leaving the vast majority of these helmets unaccounted for.
“This individual claims to have stored these helmets in
2016 leaving the vast majority of these helmets unaccounted for,” he said.
Police are yet to verify the claims that Mr Chibwe bought
the helmets from ABC Auctions.
“Police are still to verify the ownership of those helmets
that the individual referred to above has laid claim to,” said Asst Comm
Nyathi.
He said they had noted with concern that certain political
commentators and politicians have made inaccurate and reckless statements
pertaining to the helmets in question.
He however warned people against making such reckless
statements.
“In view of the gravity of the situation outlined above,
the police wishes to warn members of the public and politicians to deists from
making statements which place the investigations into jeopardy,” he said.
He said there was a possibility that the 11 vehicles
recovered from the basement could have been used in perpetration of
politically-motivated violence. Herald
0 comments:
Post a Comment