31 Amani Trust case number 814 Report number Sex male 7 Name T.B Age 23 ID number Province Harare District Chitungwiza Political Affiliation Date of report 04/03/03 Nature of incident Abduction, assault, torture Date of incident 03/03/02 Employment Contract worker Perpetrators 9 Zanu PF supporters Case history T.B. was returning from church at 15.00h on 03/03/02 in Chitungwiza when he passed unknowingly by a base in Unit N. He was asked by a group of nine people whether he had a Zanu PF card. As T.B. did not possess one, he was told that he would be ‘disciplined’. He was taken to an office and searched, his bible, money and other personal belongings being taken off him, and he was stripped naked, save for a shirt. He was told to wear a pair of trousers, which had been stripped off another victim. He was kept until 20.00h, when his hands were tied behind his back with wire and he was blindfolded with his shirt. T.B. was ordered to lie down and was beaten all over his body with rubber sticks and batons, and was kicked and punched. He was also threatened with electrocution and shooting. After the assault, T.B. and another victim who had been abducted previously were taken in a truck to an unknown destination. Here, both men were beaten on the soles of their feet, were forced to drink urine, and had their faces urinated upon. This continued until midnight when both men were driven back and were dumped into the bush in Unit B. Eventually, T.B. managed to loosen the wire around his hands and crawled to a nearby village, where he contacted family members. He was picked up by an MDC support unit and taken to Harare for treatment. A police report was made to Chitungwiza police station and they have a copy of the medical report. T.B. notes that there were three women in the group of assailants, and they appeared to be the most cruel. Medical assessment SRQ-8 Score: On clinical examination the following day the patient had an extensive right peri-orbital haematoma, and haematoma and tissue edema of the whole mandible and left zygomatic area. He had three superficial abrasions, one on his left posterior arm, 3cm, and two on his back 2cm long. He also had tender swollen plantar surfaces of both feet, with difficulty in walking, secondary to falanga. He had not sustained any fractures on Xray of his facial bones and mandible. AMANI TRUST: Beating your opposition. Torture during the 2002 Presidential campaign in Zimbabwe.

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