No Evidence In Abduction of Zimbabwe Opposition Activists-Govt

June 4, 2020
| Report Focus News

Harare-The Zimbabwe Government says no evidence points out to the alleged abductions of opposition MDC Alliance youth assembly members.

The trio of Joana Mamombe, Cecelia Chimbiri and Netsai Marova alleges that they were abducted and tortured by suspected state security agents after protesting against hunger during the Covid-19 induced lockdown.

Addressing journalists in Harare, Home Affairs Minister Kazembe Kazembe said there were inconsistencies in the account of events and preliminary findings thus far.

“Firstly there is very consistent contamination of the various crime scenes and the entire chain of evidence relevant to this case by MDC Alliance leaders, activists and several officials of foreign Embassies in Harare who gained access thereto ahead of investigating authorities.

“Secondly, the complainants for a long time after they were ‘discovered’ at Muchapondwa Village near Bindura where they claimed to have been dumped after their ordeal , refused outright to give their statements to the investigating authorities feigning incapacity due to the torture they claimed to have endured.

 “Ironically, Cecelia Chimbiri hails from a village not far from where they claim to have been dumped. This makes it unsustainable for them to pretend not to know where they were, even the direction of Harare from there, at that material time. They would feign confusion and hysteria at the mere sight of a Policeman.” he said

Kazembe said there was no relationship between the medical examination carried by a Government medical Officer and the injuries they claim to have suffered.

“Thirdly, There is no relationship whatsoever between the findings of the medical examination that was carried out on them by a Government Medical Officer in the presence of two Human Rights doctors of their choosing on 15 May 2020 and the injuries they claim to have suffered as a result of being subjected to beatings with open palms, booted feet, fists, rifle butts and other blunt objects and razor blades on their backs.”

Kazembe said the Government is determined to get to the bottom of the saga and expose if it is fake and ensure that it will not happen again.