HARARE – The family of a man tortured to death at Ruwa Police Station while in custody is suing home affairs minister and police commissioner general Stephen Mutamba.
The incident took place on May 27 after Blessed Believe Juruvenge, a tuckshop owner, was arrested by Constable Prince Ndavambi on assault allegations.
Ndabambi allegedly tortured Juruvenge and his sister demanding a bribe in exchange for their freedom.
Juruvenge succumbed to his injuries while his sister Melisa Manyepa is still receiving treatment.
Juruvenge’s pregnant widow, Mercy Madenyika, Manyepa and the deceased’s mother Elipa Jim have written to Kazembe and Mutamba notifying them of their intention to sue.
The three are being represented by Paidamoyo Saurombe and Tinashe Chinopfukutwa of the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR).
Ndavambi has since been charged with murder and is out on bail.
In their notice of intention to sue Mutamba and Kazembe for damages, Madenyika, Manyepa and Jim stated that they are distressed and traumatised by the sudden and callous death of their husband, brother and son at the hands of Constable Ndavambi and are presently receiving psychological assistance from medical professionals.
They say Ndavambi intentionally and unlawfully caused the death of Juruvenge in that he continuously assaulted him realising the possibility that death will eventuate from the assault.
“The murder of Juruvenge at the hands of Constable Ndavambi was a violation of his sacrosanct right to life, which is guaranteed in terms of section 48 of the constitution while the assaults on Manyepa and the deceased man amounted to inhuman, degrading treatment and excessive use of force,” their letter said.
The trio also said the officer in charge at Ruwa Police Station failed in his duty of care to ensure that police officers under his command do not use the police premises as torture chambers or to endanger the lives of members of the public and hence the breach of this duty of care negligently caused the death of Juruvenge.
Madenyika, Manyepa and Jim indicated that they were dependents of Juruvenge, who was employed at Bakers Inn as a driver and also did welding and operated a tuckshop to augment his salary.
Mutamba and Kazembe, the trio stated, are vicariously liable for the damage and harm which they suffered because Constable Ndavambi was acting within the scope and course of his duties of employment as a police officer, when he fatally assaulted Juruvenge and battered Manyepa.
The protested against Ndavambi’s conduct and that of his accomplice police officers saying it is a breach of the constitutional obligation of the police service to protect and secure the lives of Zimbabwean citizens as provided for in terms of section 219(1)(c) of the constitution.
The trio advised Mutamba and Kazembe that the sum of the damages, which they are claiming, will be computed and furnished to them in summons to be served on them.
During Ndavambi’s court hearing, prosecutors narrated the harrowing experience the siblings endured at the hands of police officer, who had arrested Juruvenge for assaulting a man who bought goods from his tuckshop with a fake $100 note. His sister Melisa Manyepa was arrested for allegedly harbouring him as police were looking to arrest him.
Prosecutors allege that Ndavambi assaulted Manyepa on the legs with a hoe handle while she was seated until the hoe handle broke.
During the attack, a female police officer who was in the room pleaded with Ndavambi to stop assaulting Manyepa but he ignored her.
Constable Ndavambi is alleged to have gone into the holding cells and dragged Juruvenge to the room where Manyepa was and began assaulting him all over the body while he was handcuffed.
According to Manyepa’s estimation, the assault on Juruvenge lasted between 40 minutes to one hour.
Manyepa allegedly started crying and Ndavambi told her she was going to cry until tears of blood stream out from her eyes.
Constable Ndavambi allegedly then showed Manyepa a nearby zinc coffin and told her that Juruvenge was going to go into the coffin because police officers in Ruwa heavily assault people.
Ndavambi released Manyepa with orders to go and look for $100 to secure her brother’s freedom.
Juruvenge asked for water from Manyepa but Ndavambi and the female police officer ordered her not to give him.
Ndavambi, it is alleged, then grabbed Juruvenge by the neck and frog-marched him out of the office to the ground outside where he continued his assault. He later locked him up in the cells.
The following morning, on May 28, 2025, and around 9:AM, the officer in charge at Ruwa Police Station called Manyepa enquiring about her whereabouts and also asked her to bring Juruvenge’s ID.
When she arrived at the station, Manyepa was advised that her brother had stopped breathing during the night and he had been taken to a clinic where he died.
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