COVID-19 NATIONAL LOCKDOWN ERA VICTIM COMPENSATED

In April 2020, some ZRP officers brutally assaulted the then 48 year-old Siska while he was queuing at Stanbic Bank in Gweru. The ZRP officers approached Siska and other Gweru residents, who were queuing at the bank and assaulted him all over his body with truncheons, booted feet and open hands.

Siska suffered serious injuries, which included a fractured arm, after he was brutally assaulted by the ZRP officers.

After the wanton assault, Siska engaged Reginald Chidawanyika of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, who sued ZRP Commissioner-General Godwin Matanga and Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage Minister Hon. Kazembe Kazembe, for damages such as shock, pain and suffering and to recover some medical expenses, which he incurred while seeking treatment.

After a full trial in April 2022, Gweru Provincial Magistrate Miriam Banda ordered Matanga and Hon. Kazembe to pay compensation to Siska for damages arising from assault by police officers.

But instead of complying with the court order and compensate Siska, Matanga and Hon. Kazembe dilly-dallied on paying damages to the Gweru resident and his lawyer had to resort to instituting contempt of court proceedings and threatened to cause the arrest of the duo.

Siska’s long wait ended recently as Hon. Kazembe and Matanga eventually complied with the court order and paid ZWG143 368 to Siska as compensation for damages for violation of his rights arising from police brutality.