By Jane Mlambo| Parents and Guardians of students enrolled at Gokomere High School on Wednesday 10 November 2021 gave authorities at Masvingo Rural Police Station a seven-day ultimatum to probe the brutal assault and torture of students by law enforcement agents following protests which broke out early this week over poor diet and learning conditions.

Some students were left nursing injuries after they were assaulted and tortured by Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) officers, who arrested them on Sunday 7 November 2021 and on Monday 8 November 2021 after they were accused of staging a demonstration at the school against unsuitable learning conditions.

The students spent time detained at Masvingo Rural Police Station and were only released on Monday 8 November 2021 following representations made by Martin Mureri of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, who emphasised the need to engage the students’ parents or guardians to the Officer In Charge of Masvingo Rural Police Station rather than keeping them in detention.

In his letter, Mureri protested against the conduct of police officers who arrested the students as they assaulted them and left them in bad shape.

The human rights lawyer said the students’ parents and guardians want the assault and torture to be investigated within seven days and to be furnished with the outcome of the probe detailing the names of the law enforcement agents who ill-treated the students.