The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) yesterday raided
MDC-Alliance’s headquarters in Harare after obtaining a search warrant to
search for offensive weapons meant for criminal use.
The party had earlier on issued a statement alleging that
police had besieged its headquarters to plant machetes, in an attempt to
portray it as a criminal organisation.
Police, however, dismissed the claims saying they had a
constitutional mandate to maintain law and order in the country.
In an interview, national police spokesperson Assistant
Commissioner Paul Nyathi said police were enforcing the search warrant that had
been issued.
“Police are enforcing a search warrant issued by the court
in terms of the Criminal Procedure and Evidence Act, in connection with the
suspicion of possession of articles for criminal use as defined in Section 40
of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act (Chapter 9.23) with regards
to the maintenance of law and order,” he said.
By last night, he said no arrests had been made and the
officers were still on the ground.
Police cordoned off the corner of Angwa Street and Nelson
Mandela Avenue and Nelson Mandela and First Street, which form the street block
where the party’s headquarters are located. A crowd that had gathered near the
opposition offices was dispersed around 6.30pm.
Asst Comm Nyathi said whoever was alleging that the police
intended to plant machetes should bring evidence to that effect.
In October last year, police recovered 210 anti-riot and 46
municipal police helmets stashed in the basement of Robinson House at the
corner of Kwame Nkrumah Avenue and Angwa Street in Harare.
Also recovered were stones, bricks and sticks believed to have
been earmarked for use in violent street demonstrations.
The cache was stumbled upon after police pursued a group of
thugs that had attacked a police officer who reportedly was waiting for someone
at the building. Herald
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