49 Amani Trust case number 965 Report number Sex male 25 Name P.C Age 32 ID number Province Mashonaland East District Murehwa North Political Affiliation MDC Date of report 09/04/02 Nature of incident Abduction, assault Date of incident 25/03/02 Employment Unemployed Perpetrators Zanu PF supporters Case history On 25/03/02 at 16.00h P.C. was taken from the church at Dandara in Murehwa by a group of Zanu PF supporters. He was accused of being an MDC polling agent during the elections. P.C. was taken to their nearby base and forced into a room. He was interrogated as to why he had joined the MDC. P.C. denied the political affiliation but was beaten with sticks as the assailants produced a copy of the Daily News, which had a list of the polling agents, including that of P.C. He was hit on the chest, left side of his body and below his feet. The assault lasted for half an hour, but P.C. was held until 02.00h the next morning, when he escaped. Medical assessment SRQ-8 Score: 5 On clinical examination 2 weeks after the assault, the patient was complaining of chest pain, occasional hemoptysis, lower lumbar pain and painful feet on walking. His chest was clinically clear, confirmed by Chest xray, he was tender over the left lower lumbar area, but there was no visible haematoma, and the plantar surfaces of his feet were tender to palpation. He exhibited a high SRQ-8 showing psychological disturbance after the assault. The patient recovered with physiotherapy, analgesia and counseling. AMANI TRUST: Beating your opposition. Torture during the 2002 Presidential campaign in Zimbabwe.