ZAPU National Secretary for Security and Internal Affairs, Andrew Ndlovu, who was arrested last week purportedly over a property dispute, says his arrest was motivated by tribalism and Zanu PF’s hatred for politicians who come from Matabeleland.
Following his arrest, Ndlovu was reportedly taken to Harare by police where he was questioned over ZAPU’s planned protest over revelations in the Al Jazeera documentary on the Gold Mafia, a move the party described as an intimidating tactic to push back on their demonstration.
In a press statement, Ndlovu said the police failed to follow due process.
“Procedurally, police should have contacted me after having recorded the complainant, then to ask me to come to Harare for a warning caution statement, not to rush to arrest and detain me,” he said.
Ndlovu narrated that on April 5, 2023, around 11 am, he was picked up by three police officers from Nkulumane Police Station on the orders of the CID at Southley Park Police Station in Harare.
“They had strict instructions to detain me and not allow me to board a bus to Harare as they claimed I would run away,” he said.
Ndlovu stated this surprised him because the police in Nkulumane had not contacted or attempted to engage with him over the property issue, despite the fact that their station is just 300 metres from his home.
“Hence I don’t rule out that the allegations were influenced by tribalism and Zanu PF political hatred type of politics because I am from Matabeleland, and own residential properties, a business, a primary school plus other stands in Harare,” he said.
“To make matters worse, I am an opposition senior ZAPU politician and a senior war veteran who commands respect.”
Ndlovu claims the police were unrelenting and wanted to take him straightaway to Harare, without packing any change of clothes.
He also narrated that he and the police officers boarded a haulage truck to Kwekwe then later took a bus to Harare.
“On our arrival at Southley Park Police Station, with my lawyer present, things became clear to them after my explanation that their interdict against me was misplaced,” he said,
noting that police were assisting a complainant whom he had warned not to tamper with his Magamba eChimurenga Housing Trust.
Ncube claimed the police sought to charge him using his housing trust documents, which led him to believe the claims were tribal and politically motivated.
“Their intention was to take my residential land and businesses away from me,” he alleged.
The following day, Ndlovu claimed police fast-tracked his case to Mbare Magistrate court where he denied the charges levelled against him.
“The Public Prosecutor debated the matter with the complainant and myself, then closed the docket as it lacked material legal facts to put me on trial,” he said, adding the case against him had nothing to do with the housing trust but involved Sankorp Hols Pvt Ltd, a company where he last worked for in 2002 as a Project Manager.
Ndlovu expressed concern about the police’s behaviour, claiming they acted unprofessionally by letting themselves to be used by property barons.
“I will not rule out that some Zanu PF politicians are involved. Police are aware that Zanu PF land barons invaded my land in 2013 and I am doing everything possible to evict those invaders. But police opted to work with land barons to the extent that they came all the way from Harare to unlawfully arrest and detain me,” he said.
Ndlovu said police “realised their mistake after a four-hour meeting with the Public Prosecutor that he had no case to answer.”
“The complainant told the public prosecutor that they were in danger, as I would invade their houses, an allegation I dismissed telling the prosecutor this was how authorities framed him,” he said.
The politician also complained after court, he was ‘dumped’ in Harare, with no food, no accommodation and bus fare to enable him to return back to Bulawayo where he had been picked up.
“What kind of government administration is that? I insist this ploy to arrest me was tribal and politically motivated because some years back I was framed and accused of insulting (the late) Cde Robert Mugabe and went through trial at Mbare Magistrate court for two years but was later acquitted,” he said.
