Own Correspondent|The historic assault on the late MDC founding President Morgan Tsvangirai while in custody in 2007 was actually executed by members of the ZANU PF youth militia dressed in police uniforms, it has emerged.

Former ZANU PF youth warlord Jimmy Kunaka made the revelation while giving evidence at the on going August 1 Killings Commission of Inquiry in Harare on Wednesday.

Narrating the long history and culture of his former party’s violence trails to the commission, Kunaka revealed that when Tsvangirai and Lovemore Madhuku were arrested in 2007, the party dressed members of its youth militia in police uniforms and ordered them to thoroughly beat up the opposition leaders.

“Tsvangirai was not beaten by the police,” said Kunaka who was kicked out of the ruling party last year for his allegiance with former President Robert Mugabe.

“He was beaten up by members of our youth league who were dressed in police uniform and armed with batton sticks and shamboks,” said Kunaka.

“As you may well know, police will never beat a person on the head or other areas that may lead to the death of their suspect. The people who beat up Tsvangirai were untrained thats why they beat him on the head and nearly killed him,” said Kunaka.

Tsvangirai was severely assaulted in detention and had to be taken to hospital for treatment following his arrest over a banned prayer rally in March 2007.

Madhuku, who is now one of the commissioners in the inquiry, suffered a broken arm and a bad head wound after being taken into police custody together with Tsvangirai.

Reports at the time indicated that Tsvangirai fainted three times after being beaten while Madhuku passed out and was rushed to hospital.