A former prisoner who suffered a broken arm in an attack at
Chikurubi Maximum Security Prison has filed a police report that two warders
assaulted him after he barged into a cell of a convicted popular businessman
who was entertaining a woman while a second report states that it was fellow
prisoners who hit him.
Tatenda Govere, who was recently freed under the
Presidential Amnesty after serving four years in jail for housebreaking and
theft, reported his case at Highlands Police Station under CR 52/10/18 accusing
two prison officers of assault while a later report CR 62/10/18 accuses other
prisoners.
Both reports have been sent to the National Prosecuting
Authority (NPA) who will decide on the way forward, said national police
spokesman Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi.
“I can confirm that an assault report was made to the
police against some prison officers but the case became complicated when
another report was made, implicating fellow inmates as assailants,” said Asst
Comm Nyathi.
Govere complained to High Court judge Justice Herbert
Chitapi in March this year during the judge’s routine prison visit.
Govere, who was in 2015 jailed eight years for
housebreaking, claims he entered the businessman’s cell intending to borrow a
newspaper, only to find him enjoying the company of a woman.
He allegedly left the cell and continued with his daily
chore of serving sadza to fellow prisoners. Two prison officers, whom he
believes were linked to the businessman grilled him, he said, demanding to know
why he got into the cell without notice.
“Being a trusted prisoner at yellow stage (prisoners deemed
to have reformed), on September 26, 2018, I was serving food at A Hall where
the businessman was staying.
“Since I was in good books with the businessman, I left a
bucket of Sadza on the floor and went into his cell to ask for the day’s
newspaper.
“In the cell, I was surprised to see the businessman in the
company of a woman and they were eating a cake. I quickly retreated and walked
away without saying a word,” said Govere.
“A few hours later, the two prison officers (names
supplied) called me and grilled me over the incident. They quizzed on why I
entered the cell without notice. I told them I wanted a newspaper but they
turned violent and ordered me to lie on the ground.
“They took turns to assault me all over the body with a
black baton until my left arm broke. I also sustained injuries on my left leg
after one of the officers tripped me to the ground as I tried to escape,” he
said. Herald
0 comments:
Post a Comment