By Costa Nkomo
The lawyers representing four pro-democracy campaigners arrested at the Robert Mugabe Airport on Wednesday have detailed the horrific treatment their clients endured at the hands of state agents.
Vusumuzi Moyo, Samuel Gwenzi, Namatai Kwekweza, and Robson Chere, were forcibly removed from a plane bound for Victoria Falls, and reportedly tortured while being held incommunicado for hours.
They appeared at the Harare Magistrate Court on Friday facing charges of disorderly conduct after they were allegedly involved in a demonstration against Timba’s detention.
The courtroom fell silent as lawyers Jeremiah Bhamu, Tinashe Chinopfukutwa, Roseline Hanzi, and Charles Kwaramba from the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) described the systematic assault their clients faced.
Namatai Kwekweza, a human rights activist, was subjected to particularly cruel treatment. One of her assailants, fully aware of her recent dental procedure, deliberately shoved a shoe into her mouth, inflicting excruciating pain. A metal bar was also forced into her mouth, further compounding her suffering.
Kwekweza was also threatened with further violence if she refused to cooperate. Her phone, laptop, and passport were seized.
The cruelty of their actions was intensified by the fact that Kwekweza was not even in Zimbabwe when the alleged crime was committed at the Harare Magistrate Court on June 27, 2024.
Moyo who is said to be a sound engineer for a prominent musician was also beaten up.
Robson Chere, a prominent activist, described a relentless assault that left him physically and emotionally scarred.
He was allegedly beaten with an iron bar, leaving him with bloodshot eyes for two days. His phone was used to record the assault, further adding to his humiliation.
Chere’s ordeal continued with waterboarding, a terrifying torture technique. His dreadlocks were forcibly cut off, a deliberate act of humiliation.
His lawyers detailed how the assailants threatened to kill him or rape his wife if any demonstrations took place ahead of the SADC Summit. They also made chilling threats against his family.
Samuel Gwenzi, another human rights defender, recounted being struck with open palms and iron bars.
He was forced to chant Zanu-PF slogans and declare his Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) party a “Western puppet party.” The assailants also threatened to kill other opposition leaders, including Ostalos Siziba and Takudzwa Ngadziore, if they planned any protests. They even threatened to harm Gwenzi’s children.
Gwenzi’s phone was seized, and he was subjected to further beatings.
In response, the state, represented by Brian Chirenje, simply stated that they had initiated investigations into the matter.
