Human Rights Forum Report: Who was responsible? Mberengwa East and West A violent anti-opposition campaign was carried out in Mberengwa on a large scale. A hit list was complied by Zanu (PF) supporters and war veterans in the area and used to systematically target opposition supporters and those whose allegiance was unclear. Wilson Kufa Chitoro alias “Biggie Chitoro” and Elias Masenda Biggie Chitoro headed a war veterans base located at Texas Ranch Farm in Mberengwa that doubled as the war veteran‟s torture centre. Numerous reports of torture by means of burning victims with plastics were reported as well as severe beatings. Chitoro is suspected to be responsible for the death of MDC supporter Fainos Kufazvinei Zhou. Fainos had nominated Mfandaidza Hove, MDC candidate for Mberengwa West. Chitoro was arrested for the murder of Zhou on June 29 and remanded in custody. He has spent the last 13 months in remand prison. Chitoro was also charged with public violence, assault, kidnapping, property destruction and theft, however these charges were dropped in accordance with the presidential amnesty. Case 60: B.N. (Male) — 27 April 2000 On the 27th of April, the war vets came to the beerhall. One of them was Biggie Chitoro. They found Trynos and Simangaliso there. They beat Trynos, the MDC youth chairman, and Simangaliso, but he ran away, although they stole his shoes. They directed Trynos to my home. It was about 11 p.m. They said that they had been told that we supported MDC and that we held membership cards. Trynos knocked on my door, but I refused to come out. The war vets broke my windows and smashed my door open, and then dragged me out. My wife and three children were crying at this point. The war vets demanded an MDC card, and I said that it was in my wife‟s wallet. I fetched it, and they took it and $4000 from my wife‟s wallet. They tied me and Trynos up with wire and tied our hands together. They threatened to throw us into an old mine pits but later they decided to drive us to the farms. By now it was now 3 am, and they stopped to find some stones. They beat us thoroughly, and did so from 3 to 5am. They said that Biggie Chitoro is working for police and CIO. The left us after the beating, thinking we were dead, but we had fallen unconscious. Case 61: S.M. (Male) — 3 June 2000 They were carrying weapons, sjamboks etc. There were only four of us so we just had to surrender. I don‟t know how they identified us as MDC. We were even wearing Zanu (PF) T-shirts for disguise purposes. They made us lie down. They took ropes and tied our hands and legs and they started assaulting us. They were beating us with sjamboks. At around 7:00 p.m., they took us to their base at Texas Farm. They made a fire and they began assaulting us using fire. First it was my friend B.M. They tied plastic round his hands and legs and then lit it. Next it was my turn. They beat me first. Then they used all the same tactics, wrapping my legs, hands and private parts and lighting the plastics. They also lit some plastic and then dropped it on us as it melted. They were taking hot ashes and spreading them on my body. My hands and legs were tied. We were then told that the boss, Biggie Chitoro, would come back in the morning and his mission was to take off one of our eyes. I have burns all over my back, front, buttocks, private parts, thighs and legs. I was taken to the theatre to remove thorns from my feet. Case 62: T.Z. (Female) — 4 June 2000 They came several times threatening me. After about 3 days they came during the night and assaulted me with open hands and fists forcing me to surrender MDC cards and to rejoin Zanu (PF). I could not recognise them because they were many. I believe that they were the people who were camped at Mataga Night Club where they were being led by Biggie Chitoro, Elias Masenda and several others. Case 63: R.G. (Male) — 29 April 2000 I was abducted from Mberengwa for being an MDC supporter and held at Texas Farm where Biggie Chitoro was in charge. I was forced into demeaning behaviour and to work for no pay. . Case 64: Mavis Tapera (Zhou’s widow) — 4 June 2000 Fainos and his brother were abducted from their home at Danga in Masaga village on Sunday, 4 June 2000 with two others after being tortured with sticks, fists and open hands. They were forced to swim in the Mundi River before being tortured with sticks, whips, fists and boots. Afterwards, they were forced to march to Texas Ranch. They were interrogated and tortured with sticks, iron bars and booted feet for four days, the last three by Biggie 29