via Law ignorant cops needlessly arrest 400 -NewZimbabwe 01/12/2015
POLICE continue to arbitrarily arrest and detain citizens without investigating the alleged crimes, mainly because of “ignorance of the law” with over 400 innocent people having fallen victim to the problem in one year alone, it has emerged.
This was revealed by the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights in a report launched on Monday.
“In most cases police arrest before investigate and there is often no reasonable suspicion that an offence has been committed,” said the rights watchdog in its “State of the justice delivery system in Zimbabwe” report.
ZLHR said the police should investigate to arrest and not arrest to investigate.
“In 2013, a total of 425 people were arrested and or detained and were later released without being charged.
“These figures only represent cases undertaken by ZLHR lawyers, and this conduct wastes state resources as well as violating the rights of those targeted,” reads the report, in part.
The rights lawyers said there was an urgent need for state agents to be educated on the new constitution which gives additional rights to suspects.
“Extensive education on the constitution is needed for members of the police force so that they do not proceed with arrests and detentions where the charges are clearly unsustainable and no evidence exists to suggest that a crime has been committed,” ZLHR recommended.
“Anti-torture laws must be drafted, adopted and strictly enforced to eradicate impunity for this international crime,” the group added.
COMMENTS
zrp needs a complete overhaul from top to bottom
every police officer should be fired and have to reapply for his / her job after passing exams on the law, human rights, citizen rights, corruption, the police charter etc.
clean out the augean stable.