3.9
Complainant H
3.9.1 Complainant H resides in Komboniyatsva, Epworth and she alleges that on
Monday 4 July 2016 she and her two children, a 16 year old male and a 9
year old daughter were at home and she encouraged her children to stay at
home since there had been a clash between the touts and the police and
there was unrest. She lit a fire so she could prepare lunch for her children.
While outside her son shout that the police were coming to their house as
he could see them through the window. She went inside the house to be
with her children. Within minutes the door to their house had been broken
by the Anti-riot police and they threw canisters of tear gas into the house.
The mother and her children were forced to take refuge outside as it
became unbearable to stay in the house.
3.9.2 Her son was then taken by the police and was assaulted in his face with
their baton sticks in her full view. She made an attempt to intervene but she
was also assaulted with baton sticks and she sustained injuries on her right
hand. Complainant and her son were made to lie on the ground and the riot
police heavily assaulted them. Complainant was told to go back home and
when she made efforts to go back with her son the efforts were futile. She
followed the police and her son for a while despite being told to go back her.
Her husband arrived from work and followed them. This time when the
police told her to go back home she complied as she felt that at least her
son who had not done anything wrong would at least be with his father.
3.9.3 However, her husband was also told to lie down, he was assaulted by the
Anti-riot police and then told to go home. When complainant realized that
her son had been left alone, she tried to follow the police but she was told
that he had been taken to Harare Central Police Station. She only managed
to travel to Harare the next day, Tuesday 5 July 2016. She made efforts to
see her child which were not fruitful as she was shuffled from one office to
the other. However, she was told to buy him food which she did even though
she alleged that the food did not reach her son.
3.9.4 The next day Wednesday 6 July 2016 she was told that her son would
appear in court and she got an opportunity to see him. However, she could
not say anything to him but she was allowed to buy him food. She was also
not allowed to assist him in court and wasn’t even allowed in the court room
as it was full as she would have wanted to tell the authorities that her son
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