6. The role of the Zimbabwe Republic Police As has been continually noted above, the ZRP and, as joint defendant, the Minister of Home Affairs, were much more frequently cited than other groups. The Human Rights Forum has raised its concerns about the involvement of the ZRP in human rights abuses, even issuing a specific report on torture by the police.37 Hence, a specific examination of the ZRP was undertaken. A total of 195 cases (67%) involved the ZRP, and, as can be seen from Table 32, the only significant differences over the years of the reporting period were in 2001 and 2004, where there were higher frequencies of groups other than the ZRP to be cited as defendants. Table 32 Frequency defendants cited Others (n = 96) 16.8% 0 0 13.7%* 9.5% 36.8% 20.0%* 2.1% 1.1% 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 ZRP (n = 195) 12.8% 2.6% 5.1% 6.2% 13.9% 45.1% 9.7% 4.1% 1.03% *χ2: 2001 (3.85; P = 0.05); 2004 (5.90; P = 0.025) As regards the different branches of the ZRP, it can be seen from Table 33 that every branch except for PISI is cited with a high frequency. Table 33 Frequency ZRP cited as defendants ZRP (Uniform branch) ZRP (CID) ZRP (PISI) ZRP (Riot Squad) ZRP (Support Unit) Zimbabwe National Army CIO ZANU(PF) Others 0 0 0 0 0 77.9% 0 7.4% ZRP 56.9%* 13.9%* 1.03% 27.7%* 9.2%* 20.5% 0.5% 0 *χ2: ZRP Uniform Branch (87.61; p = 0.005); ZRP CID (67.23; p = 0.005); ZRP PISI (14.13; p = 0.005); ZRP Riot Squad (39.46; p = 0.005); ZRP Support Unit (21.92; p = 0.005); Army (66.66; p = 0.005) The ZRP are named more frequently in connection with torture, unlawful arrest and detention, and shootings, and, whilst the army is cited as more frequently involved in serious assaults, the ZRP too are cited with a very high frequency (Table 34). Importantly, falanga was significantly more likely to occur at the hands of the ZRP.38 37 See Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum, Torture by State Agents in Zimbabwe: January 2001 to August 2002 (Harare: The Human Rights NGO Forum, 2003). 38 2 χ : Falanga (17.39; P = 0.005). 24