via ZLHR concerned with police conduct | The Zimbabwean 25.04.14 by Nelson Sibanda
Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) has expressed concern at police conduct which has resulted in a number of road accidents and loss of lives across the country.
ZLHR said in a statement that the incidents seemed to happen when the police were either attempting to arrest or pursue commuter omnibuses that service most commuters in Zimbabwe.
The lawyers’ concerns follow the recent death of Nell Tanatswa Mutyora (3), who sustained serious head injuries and died after he was knocked down by a commuter omnibus driver fleeing the police.
“It is important that the police in the performance of their duties respect and protect human dignity and protect human rights of all persons,” reads part of the ZLHR statement.
The statement reminded police officers that as public officers and in pursuance of law and order, they have a duty to uphold the Constitution which in Section 48 guarantees the right to life.
Section 51 of the Constitution also guarantees the right to human dignity and the right to have that dignity respected and protected.
ZLHR joined the public call for the police officers involved in the chase to be held to account for their actions both in their official and personal capacities and reminded drivers of public transport to adhere to the traffic laws and respect lives of passengers.
COMMENTS
POLICE CONCERNED WITH THE CONDUCT OF ZLHR.
This is the real headline.
Centuries ago we had courts and the idea was that no one was guilty until proved so by a court of law the opposition group ZLHR sentence police without a court which is criminal defamation.
The lawyers in Zimbabwe are the only individuals and organisations to attract the attention of the Head of investigations at the ICC, Hague.
They may call them selves human rights lawyers but they are considered biased criminals overseas.
The police have no sense of duty . WHAT IS THEIR CODE OF CONDUCT . I for one have no idea. Please someone enlighten me.
A woman suffering from Hypertension collapsed when a policeman smashed the wind screen of one mini bus in Harare!
I can quite understand the frustration of the police. Any driver has a problem with the way minibuses drive they are really bad and wouldn’t be allowed to drive in any other country.
We cant stupidly say because the passengers may be inconveniences let them drive as they do.
I witnessed one commuter bus driver being warned by a police officer at the traffic lights as the officer was speaking to him the lights changed and the driver drove off. The police officer justifiably in my view as the driver resisted arrest smashed his windscreen and side windows with his trungeon.
I found myself thinking it serves the minibus driver right that he has to pay for new windows, maybe he will learn , its the only way unfortunately.