The police have arrested the missing Itai Dzamara’s brother, Patson, on charges of robbery.
Patson was this year grilled by journalists on his cosy relationship with the Happiton Bonyongwe ( Central Intelligence boss) family running beyond a year since his brother’s disappearance. He then soon afterwards staged a one man demonstration in the national sports stadium in April and then held a rushed a press conference in Harare where he released pictures of someone looking like his brother with hands tied behind the back and a bandage around the head.
He claimed that Itai was abducted by members of the Zimbabwe Military Intelligence.
The Zimbabwe National Army has since denied having anything to do with the disappearance.
National Police spokesperson Charity Charamba told the state media on Thursday that they have arrested Patson Dzamara.
“I can confirm that the he has been arrested and investigations are still in progress,” she said.
When he addressed reporters at his press conference Patson said, “it is almost 15 months since the diabolic abduction of Itai Dzamara.
“From the onset I never minced my words regarding who the perpetrators are. Never have I cowered from my position that the disappearance of Itai Dzamara is the work of Mr. Mugabe’s Zanu PF through state security agents”.
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Zimeye you never cease to amaze me. You are full of lies.
PRESS RELEASE
June 09, 2016.
ISSUE| Government must stop harassment of Africa Unity Square protesters!!
Harare – The Zimbabwe Human Rights Association (ZimRights) reminds the Government of Zimbabwe to respect and safeguard the right of citizens to peacefully protest, after thugs recently beat activists in the past days, and police arrested some activists last night at Africa Unity Square.
The activists, who include women activists, student activists, activists for the rights of people living with disabilities, journalists and social justice activists have been spending the days and nights at the Square since May 31 to fulfil a #16DayOccupation symbolism against bad governance.
The cases of open harassment at the Square adjacent the Zimbabwe Parliament have happened severally since the occupation protest started. This is a clear violation of the protesters’ freedom to peacefully demonstrate and assemble as set out in Sections 58 and 59 of the Constitution of Zimbabwe.
A first hand assessment by ZimRights of the activist’s injuries this week showed that a freelance journalist, James Jemwa, had suffered a bloodshot right eye, and cut his lip.
Importantly and equally outrageously, today June 9, 2016 marks 15 months after the abduction of the founder of the Occupy Africa Unity Square leader, Itai Dzamara, by suspected state security agents at a barbershop in his neighbourhood, and he remains not heard from or seen with the police too lackadaisical with the investigations.
ZimRights notes with concern that the police by arresting some of the activists has once more acted unconstitutionally and intervened against the fundamental rights of the protesters in the Square, in the same way they beat up Itai until he passed out and broke his lawyer, Kennedy Masiye’s arm in incidences in October and November 2014.
The police must immediately release the arrested activists and stop interfering with their constitutional rights, but honour their duty to protect the activists from thugs that the police must arrest.
It is unfortunate that the growing trend in the country is that government through the security institutions is responding to citizens’ lawful dissent such as demonstrations, sit-ins, and petitions through harassment. This is amply shown by the two-year history of the Occupy Africa Unity Square group and the official treatment of its activists, including Itai Dzamara.
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For further inquiries contact:
National Chairperson, Passmore Nyakureba 0772 339 159 email: [email protected]
National Director, Okay Machisa: 0772 135 882 email: [email protected]