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Police accused of assaulting students
The Standard (Zimbabwe)
November 19, 2006

http://www.thestandard.co.zw/viewinfo.cfm?linkid=11&id=5272&siteid=1

TEN Masvingo State University (MASU) students, arrested following a demonstration against worsening learning conditions at the institution, were beaten by police in custody, student leaders have said.

Over 300 students took to the streets waving placards in Masvingo city before police disrupted their protest and arrested organisers. They demanded that the government address poor conditions at their institution and unsuccessfully sought to present a petition to Governor Willard Chiwewe.

Narrating their ordeal to The Standard, the students said they were assaulted by police officers while in custody for two days.

Gideon Chitanga, Zimbabwe National Students’ Union (ZINASU) vice-president who was among those arrested, said they were severely assaulted by police who accused them of being used by the opposition MDC to destabilise the country.

"I am in great pain, we were severely assaulted all over our bodies by police officers who took turns over the two days we were in custody. They said ZINASU leaders were opposition activists serving the interests of the enemies of the state," Chitanga said.

"They want us to be silent when we are suffering," he said.

Another student, Edison Munyero described his ordeal in police custody:

"We had two days in hell. They beat us with batons, clenched fists and booted feet. We were threatened that if we held another demo we would be killed. They also said the beatings were just a warning, as next time we could lose our lives."

Masvingo police spokesperson, Phibion Nyambo, denied that students were assaulted while in police cells. "I don’t remember anyone being assaulted by police officers, kungotaura kwemastudents but they were not assaulted. Actually I am not the one who dealt with the issue; call Oliver Mandipaka, he is in a better position to answer you on that one," said Nyambo.

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