Mahetshe villagers in Maphisa, Matabeleland South, are preparing to challenge the court ruling that acquitted three police officers accused of assaulting 12 schoolchildren at Mahetshe Primary School, with the community’s traditional leadership insisting justice was not served.
The three police officers, Nhlalo Ndlovu, Vimbai Madlabuzela and Trust Chizodza were cleared on October 23, 2025, after Kezi magistrate, Busani Sibanda, ruled the State had failed to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt.
The officers had been accused of beating the pupils with open hands, switches and electrical cables during a May 2025 “awareness campaign,” allegedly leaving several learners injured.
However in an interview with CITE, Chief Mayenga Fuyane said the ruling had left the Mahetshe community deeply dissatisfied and determined to pursue an appeal.
“I went to Kezi Court to understand because I was not part of the people who were going to listen. I was receiving briefings from the senior village head,” the chief said.
“When I went to court, I didn’t find the magistrate who was presiding over the case. I found two court officials and we spoke but I was not satisfied with the answers I was getting from them. They said they were not the ones who dealt with that case, so they could not answer some of my questions.”
Chief Fuyane said he had asked the officials critical questions about accountability, including whether the prosecutors believed justice had been served.
“I had asked that since it was said the suspected police officers were innocent, they as prosecutors, who are the ones representing the children, did they think justice was served and if not, what the way forward was,” he said.
“If justice was served, why were they saying that? They said they cannot answer as they were not the ones dealing with that case.”
The officials told Chief Fuyane that although the ordinary appeal window had closed, there were still other legal avenues available.
“They advised me that if I was not happy with the outcome of the case, the time to appeal is over but there is another way of appealing,” the chief said.
Chief Fuyane said he questioned whether the court officials were distancing themselves from a case in which they had initially said the State would represent the children.
“I asked that since they were saying if we, the people, were not satisfied, were they now excluding themselves from the case, because when the case started, we heard that the prosecutor was the one who would be representing the children,” he said.
“However, I didn’t press for an answer because they had already said they could not comment further as they were not involved in the case.”
Chief Fuyane has since obtained the court transcript to better understand the proceedings.
“They also advised me to fetch a transcript of the case, so I have the transcript with me,” he said.
Before going to court, the chief consulted other village elders, who encouraged him to pursue assistance through Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR).
“I then sought advice as to how that is done,” he explained.
“I was advised to see one advocate and we spoke over the phone and he advised me to go to court and seek the transcript of what took place in court. This advocate said he would refer me to a lawyer from ZLHR.”
The chief has already engaged with the ZLHR lawyer.
“I spoke to that lawyer and that lawyer explained through an audio discussing the case, where I pointed out that although the accused were acquitted, as a village we are not satisfied, so what can be done,” he said.
“I am awaiting further communication.”
Chief Fuyane said the village remains baffled by the acquittal.
“We were not happy with the judgment that found those police officers innocent because there is plenty of evidence that the children were beaten,” he said.
“They were seen by people who were there and some of them became witnesses in court, so we wonder how they were acquitted, that I don’t know.”
The three police officers had been charged with assaulting 12 learners during what was supposed to be a school awareness campaign at Mahetshe Primary School in May.
Read:https://cite.org.zw/outrage-in-maphisa-as-police-brutalise-learners-during-crime-awareness-drive/
Parents and villagers reported that the officers beat the children using switches, open hands and electric cables, leading to injuries leaving the community outraged.
During the trial, however, Magistrate Sibanda said the State’s case was weakened by inconsistencies, contradictory testimonies and poor police investigative work.
“The State failed to prove beyond reasonable doubt that the accused are guilty,” he ruled. “The accused are given the benefit of doubt and are acquitted.”