32 Amani Trust case number 846 Report number Sex male 8 Name S.B Age 33 ID number Province Harare District Harare Political Affiliation Date of report 12/03/02 Nature of incident Assault Date of incident 11/03/02 Employment Farmer Perpetrators Soldiers – State House Case history At 23.00h S.B. and a companion were driving towards town when they were stopped by soldiers outside State House. They were ordered out of the car and forced to lie on the ground. The two men were beaten with rubber truncheons all over the body. S.B. received blows to the head, back, buttocks and he was kicked on the left loin side. The assault lasted for ten minutes, after which the two men were taken to Central Police Station, where they were told that the soldiers had claimed the two men had used abusive language towards them and given the MDC salute. S.B. and his companion were released without charge at 01.00h and sought medical treatment immediately. Medical assessment SRQ-8 Score: On clinical examination the following day the patient had bruising on his occiput and 4 linear haematomas on his back, as well as two deep haematomas on his buttocks, compatible with being assaulted from behind with blunt objects. He was tender to palpation over his anterior chest and abdominal wall, and Xray revealed fractured left lateral ribs 6,7 and 8. Ultrasound scan of his abdomen revealed no visceral haemorrhage. AMANI TRUST: Beating your opposition. Torture during the 2002 Presidential campaign in Zimbabwe.