INTERNAL Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) documents passed to a United Kingdom-based newspaper suggest that the army is responsible for the murders, assault and armed robberies in the on-going brutal crackdown on civilians.
At least 12 people were reportedly killed when security forces opened fire on civilians during a three-day shutdown called by workers’ unions following fuel price hikes earlier this month. One police officer is believed to have been killed. The death toll is expected to rise.
National police spokesperson Commissioner Charity Charamba (pictured) yesterday told NewsDay that she could not comment on the matter as she needed to authenticate the alleged documents.
“I cannot comment on an issue which I am not privy to. I did not see the alleged police documents or any report of such. If you have the documents, kindly bring them to me so that I can be able to look through and be able to comment. We have so many people coming up with their own reports and saying they are police documents. Bring the document or read them for me I can tell police language and be able to comment if, indeed, they are from the police,” Charamba said.
The violence has been described as the worst seen in Zimbabwe for at least a decade and has dashed any remaining hopes that the end of the 37-year rule of autocratic leader Robert Mugabe 14 months ago would lead to significant political reform.
In more than a dozen investigation reports shared with The Guardian newspaper by police officials frustrated at the apparent impunity of the military, a series of alleged attacks are described, including two murders, and the rape of a 15-year-old girl.
All were committed by men wearing army “uniforms” or “camouflage”, police investigators write – a formula that allows police to avoid making direct accusations against the powerful military – architects of the coup that toppled Mugabe and elevated Emmerson Mnangagwa to the Presidency.
Officially, the national police force, has blamed the violence on criminal “rogue elements” who have stolen army uniforms, and said the charges of widespread abuses by the armed forces have been fabricated.
