A 17-year-old boy from Kenilworth in Lukona village, located between Nkayi and Nyathi in Matabeleland North, was attacked and seriously injured by police dogs last week on Wednesday.
The boy, Sabelo Dube, had been sent to the shops in Lukona when he was caught in a crossfire as police released dogs to disperse a crowd gathered at the shops.
Sabelo’s uncle, Collen Mpofu, told CITE that the police, accompanied by their dogs, were deployed to the area following news of a gold discovery at a nearby claim in Kenilworth. Said Mpofu:
There is gold that was discovered in Kenilworth, and it seems the police, under the instruction of one Dumisani who oversees the mine left to him by his father, were directed to go to that place.
The police arrived at Lukona shops with dogs, and people who were seated there started running away. Sabelo, who had been sent to the shops, was caught in that chaos and was severely bitten by the dogs.
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Mpofu said after the attack, the police were seen searching for Sabelo, possibly to assist him. He said:
It seems he wasn’t the only one who was bitten; other elderly people were attacked as well.
The uncle said Sabelo was taken to Lukona Clinic, where staff determined that his wounds were too severe and transferred him to Nyathi Hospital. He said:
When the family stopped by the police station in Nyathi for a police report of the incident, the police recorded that the boy was bitten by the dogs at the mine instead of at the shops. The mine is 2km from the shops, and to access the mine, you have to pass by the shop.
The police hadn’t even reached the mine at the time of the incident. Sabelo’s mother only realised later while at the hospital that the police had misreported the location of the incident.
Mpofu said Nyathi Hospital had intended to admit Sabelo, but due to the high transport costs and the distance from home, the family opted to have his dressings done at Lukona Clinic. He said:
One injection costs US$20, so he is being treated at home.
He said other people who were bitten by the police dogs, included another relative of theirs, Kholwani Khabo, who sustained worse injuries than Sabelo. Said Mpofu:
We have another relative, Kholwani Khabo who has worse wounds but he has now been arrested. After he was bitten by the dogs and when police went to him, they searched and found imbanje (marijuana) in his pocket, so they are now focusing on that charge. He appeared in court today.
Sabelo’s mother, Priscila Nkomazana, accused the police of misreporting the circumstances. She said:
I had sent my son to the shops. What’s not true about the police report is that they claimed my child was at the mine. Other villagers even testified that he was at the shops. This does not sit well with me.
I only noticed while waiting for a doctor that the police had recorded wrong information, saying Sabelo was found at the mine. Other villagers saw him as well and were testifying that he was at the shops.
She also said Sabelo was given four injections against rabies and will receive additional ones after seven days.
Nkomazana claimed that the police had requested her personal details but had not contacted her since.
Both Matabeleland North Provincial Police Spokesperson Inspector Glory Banda and the acting police spokesperson Sergeant Namatirai Mashona could not comment on the case.
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