via Police double standards exposed | The Zimbabwean by Nelson Sibanda 03.06.14
The seemingly reluctance by police to arrest Zanu (PF) youths who destroyed and set on fire property left behind by members of Johane Masowe weChishanhu in Budiriro Monday, has set tongues wagging among citizens.
Over 100 Zanu (PF) youths descended on the shrine destroying and torching anything in sight, in retaliation to the recent bashing of police officers, officials from the Apostolic Christian Council of Zimbabwe and a ZBC cameraman, Relax Mafurutu, last week Friday.
The shrine that belonging to followers of Apostle Madzibaba Ishmaea Mufani, had items torched by the youths who denounced the sect for ‘beating up President Robert Mugabe through bashing of the riot police’.
Police spokesperson, Snr Ass Com Charity Charamba, told The Zimbabwean to make a research on whether the Zanu (PF) youth had committed a crime or not.
“When the police was attacked at the shrine you did not seek my comment regarding what that would mean at law.
“All of a sudden as media you are concerned about the torched Apostles’ property. Do a research and define what crime the youths committed before coming back to me after two hours,” said Charamba.
People in Harare described police inaction as an expose of Police double standards when dealing with crime.
Stella, from Budiriro said as citizens they were not surprised with the blind eye cast by police regarding the Zanu (PF) behaviour, since it was rare for known Zanu (PF) supporters to be arrested.
“Naturally as citizens we would expect police to make arrests for arson and any other related charges,” said Stella, noting that one crime would not be addressed by committing another crime.
Never Mugwagwa, a petrol attendant in Harare described police inaction as recipe for disorderliness.
“If the youths who torched the property at the shrine go scot-free, it would create a wrong impression that some citizens were above the low,” Mugwagwa said.
MDC-T spokesperson and lawyer, Douglas Mwonzora, said the youth committed a crime prosecutable under malicious destruction of property.
Mwonzora said: “The crime was committed against the state which should naturally prosecute.”
Respected Human rights lawyer, Alec Muchadehama, said: “If property is abandoned it would belong to the community.
“Anyone who destroys property with value would have caused malicious damage to the property and would be liable for prosecution,” Muchadehama said.
In the Budiriro case, Muchadehama said, police could make arrests on behalf of the community.
Some residents said if the police had interests to arrest, it would do so with little difficulties since the culprits were captured on camera and publicised in the media.
Last week Friday some riot police officers were bashed by members of the sect, after they had accompanied ACCZ Bishop, Johannes Ndanga, to the shrine to pronounce the banning of the sect.
The sect was accused of violating rights of the congregate.
According to Ndanga, the sect forbids children from attending school, promotes child marriages and discourages members from owning electrical gadgets such as television and radio sets among many others.
Some 25 church members suspected to have participated in the violence have since been arrested.
Three of them appeared before the Harare Magistrates’ Court and remanded in custody to June 16.
Zanu (PF) spokesperson, Rugare Gumbo, had no time to comment as he said “call me later I am in a meeting.”
COMMENTS
It is wrong for police to take sides when dealing with crime amoung its citizens,whoever comits a crime must be arrested and charged accordingly especial one like this one for ZanuPF youths,pure and transparent crime comitted in the presence of the police.
Romeo my brother the police were only reigning in malcontents. In other words people that would not listen to Zanu. What ever excuse they use , we do not believe. Think about it. Why send riot squad to deal with child molesters? An ordinary investigation would suffice. This was a planned operation to reign in agents who have gone ROGUE. More is to come. Mark my words. Only we wont be able to talk about it on THE ZIM SIT.
Roving Ambassador has given us some hope. Maybe.. Maybe…
NO STANDARDS AT ALL!
United we can give them a hiding. They are a minority
This Charity Charamba girl is just rude. The police in the first place acted out of bounce by being abused by an individual. The youths had an unsanctioned demostration on itself according to ZRP when it comes to MDC youths is illegal so why not arrest them. Who authorises burning someone’s property, in its own an illegal act. Are we not reading of a man who is in custody because he killed someone who was breaking into his car, so why are these youths free. Such comments from police tells the youths a wrong story and incite them to do more harm and this harms Zimbabwe.
This Charamba Lady comfirmed to the world that this Police Force is not for the Country,its for ZANU.The Police will arrest you only if you are not in ZANU good books.It is a fluke and laughable that Zimbabwe has rule of law for all.In a country where nobody is above the law,ZANU Youths would have been discouraged from such hooliganism and left the law take its course,or should be in jail right now.It is just regrettable that Zim continues to be down graded in such a manner
Come on people, this sect was sexually abusing girl children, kuti kana mukadzi akaroorwa asiri virgin, onzi aende kunotora mwana wehanzvadzi yake opa murume so as to compensate him!
Mapurisa oenda kuno adressa the situation, orohwa okuvara, then you celebrate. Midziyo, mere artifacts yo destroyiwa then you cry!
What we need to do here is to separate issues, i.e. crime, politics and religion and look objectively at each of them across the other.
Come on Nelson get real,these people have multiple standards to suit the situation so I hardly believe their actions set tongues wagging in the community!
When the rule of law no longer takes place then people take matters into their hands. That is wrong. This case is different. If the police stand by whilst youths destroy property, no matter if it’s a criminals property then you have to wonder if it is not the Police that who mobilized them in the first place. If that is the case then we head for a state of mayhem that will turn the country into the wild wild west. If members of the public catch a rapist assaulting a women their impulsive reaction would be to beat him up. If there are Police nearby their impulsive response is to stop the people and arrest the rapist so that he can be tried a convicted in a court of law. If there was an ounce of respect for the law then these youths would be arrested and tried in a court of law.
Did these “officers” have their shoes on the right side?
Does it surprise anyone that these youth were not arressted and that Charamba is asking whether they committed any crime? Ko handiti mukuru wemayouth wacho akanyatsotaura kuti panoti ZRP ndopanoti Mugabe and zanu pf. They are three in one so how can they arrest themselves. Hazvigonika. But it is shameful
If the “official” and the police were aware that some of the members of this church were abusing children and women then the appropriate action would have been to investigate and arrest the culprits and NOT TO HAVE GONE TO THEIR SUNDAY GATHERING and get heavy handed. If the ” official ” knew anything he should go to the police and make a report and NOT GOT THE POLICE AS HIS ENFORCERS. So this whole matter has been handled Zimbabwe style which explains why the members gathered, turned on and assaulted the police and trailing camera crews. All parties are wrong and a truce should be called. The police should also remember that defence in evidence is provocation and I am sure the camera crews filming would indicate that, which is most probably why they went to the ZANUPF youths to go trash the place and recover what incriminating evidence that was left behind.
Is this the spark that starts the bushfire?????????????
people of Zimbabwe dont seem t5o understand what is around them,Zimbabwe belongs to Mugabe and ZANU PF,the army,the police,the cio and the jail guards belong to Mugabe.These institutions are not there to help the nation but to do as Mugabe wants.So crimes are committed in the name of Mugabe and ZANU.Noone is arrested for as long as they belong to ZANU;What u shud know is that everyone in ZANU is a thief,murderer and a criminal,