a corporate meeting. Individual meetings were organised in recognition of the quality of data expected from this interaction as well as to maximise on the meeting with interviewees’ knowledge on the investigation at hand. The ZHRC interviewed the following: 3.3.1 The Officer in-Charge of Bhasera Police Station in Gutu District. 3.3.2 The Public Prosecutor of Gutu Magistrates Court. These were targeted because of the various roles they play in their respective departments in protecting the human rights of citizens and in ensuring accesses to justice of complainant. 3.3.3 Complainant’s two witnesses who were testifying for the state in court. 5. FINDINGS FROM COMMUNITY CONSULTATIONS From the focus group discussions and interviews carried out during investigations, the ZHRC made the following findings: 5.1 The Police used unnecessary force in arresting Complainant Complainant stated that when the police officers deviated from the route to the police base that was used by many people opting to use a bushy area, she refused to go their way because she was fearing for her life since there were no other people with them and because of the attitude of Constable Dzimano. Constable Dzimano then tried to force her by pulling her with handcuffs whilst dragging her on the grass. She was injured in the process and her hands got swollen. Her dress was also torn in the process. 5.2 Complainant was unnecessarily detained and ill-treated by the police The villagers indicated that Constable Dzimano tied complainant to a pole on the school fence using handcuffs. Complainant’s cousin who heard complainant’s screams when she was being dragged by Constable Dzimano arrived at the scene and found complainant tied but the police had gone. He then called other villagers who gathered there until the two police officers came back seven hours later. They further stated that Constable Dzimano apologized to Complainant and to the villagers for tying complainant to the pole. He then unlocked the handcuffs and set her free. Page 5 of 13