The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) has paid ZWG143,368 to Amos Siska, a Gweru resident who was subjected to police brutality during the national lockdown in April 2020.
According to the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR), Siska was brutally assaulted by ZRP officers while he was waiting in line at Stanbic Bank in Gweru. The officers used truncheons, kicked him with booted feet, and struck him with open hands, causing significant injuries, including a fractured arm.
Following the incident, Siska sought legal counsel from Reginald Chidawanyika of ZLHR and filed a lawsuit against ZRP Commissioner-General Godwin Matanga and Home Affairs Minister Kazembe Kazembe for damages related to his pain, suffering, and medical treatment.
In April 2022, after a full trial, Gweru Provincial Magistrate Miriam Banda ruled in Siska’s favor, ordering Matanga and Kazembe to compensate him for the harm caused by the assault.
Despite the court’s ruling, the payment was delayed, prompting Siska’s lawyer to take legal action for contempt of court. However, after further legal pressure, Matanga and Kazembe eventually paid the sum of ZWG143,368 to Siska as compensation for the violations of his rights due to the police’s actions.
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