not allowed to see. 9. The mini-bus had no seats inside. It, however, had black curtains and a black carpet lining the windows and the floor. In the extreme end of the vehicle was a raised platform whereupon some of the Police Officers sat. I was nonetheless ordered to sit on the floor facing the back of the vehicle. A black hood was then slipped over my head. It was made of nylon and did not have any breathing-holes in it. In a short while I became claustrophobic, sweated heavily and had difficulties breathing. My requests that part of the hood be pulled slightly over my nose to allow me to breathe were rudely denied. Instead I was asked to use “the mouth that you use to defend the MDC to breathe”. 10. After what appeared like an hour’s drive, the vehicle pulled over and my hands were handcuffed behind my back. I was bundled out of the car to find myself in a tunnel of some sorts, judging by the echoes that our foot-steps made. I was advised that I was now a blind man and had to act as such. After several twists and turns, in what appeared a labyrinth of some sort, we descended to about 3 floors of stairs underground. 11. Off to the right, I could hear the sounds of horrible screaming. I was thrown against the wall and the hood was then removed. I was stripped utterly naked, then had my hands and feet handcuffed and bound so that I was in a foetal position. A plank was thrust in-between my legs and my hands. 12. The room was lined with planks and the light was dim. In a corner to my right side there was a pool of what my tormentors told me was acid, into which I could be dissolved without a trace. In the middle were a small table and a chair. About 15 or so interrogators stood over me and some of them began assaulting me with booted-feet and clenched hands all over the body. I was then given the option of either “telling the truth or dying a slow and painful death”. 13. Several questions were asked about my background as a student activist, my allegiance to the MDC, the political affiliation of judges, my scholarship to pursue the Master’s Degree in South Africa, my alleged involvement in the burning of a government bus, my political ambitions, as well as the arms caches that the MDC was alleged to have had. 14. Running concurrently with the other assaults and ongoing interrogation, various electrical shocks were introduced onto my body. A black contraption resembling a telephone was placed on the small table. It had several electric cables emanating from it. One cable was tied to the middle toe of my right foot, whilst another was tied to the second toe of the left foot. Another copper wire was wrapped tightly around my genitals. Yet another one was put into my mouth. Still in the foetal position, I was ordered to hold a metallic receiver in my bound right hand and I then forced to place this next to my right ear. A blast of electric shocks was then administered to my body for about eight (8) hours. 15. On several occasions, I lost consciousness only to be revived to face the same ordeal. A chemical substance was applied to my body. I also lost control of my bladder, vomited blood and was forced to drink my urine and lick my vomit. Whilst the interrogation was in process, several photographs were taken of me cringing and writhing in pain and in nakedness. 16. At the end of this ordeal, and around 19:00 pm, I was unbound and then forced to write several documents under my torturers’ dictation. In the documents, I incriminated myself as well as senior MDC personnel in several subversive activities. Under pain of death I was also forced to agree to work for the Central Intelligence Organisation. In addition, I was compelled to swear 87

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