Nkayi villagers have resolved to sue the police following skirmishes in which some of them were injured after they were allegedly assaulted by policemen at Nkayi Growth Point last month.
Several villagers were reportedly injured when a group of policemen pounced on them to avenge the assault of a policeman by revellers during a beer drink on Boxing Day.
Nkayi Rural District Council chairman Kufakwezwe Ncube, who is acting on behalf of the injured villagers, yesterday accused police of heavy-handedness in dealing with the situation.
I understand the policemen involved are being dealt with under the Police Act and will be disciplined internally.
They violated human rights and we are suing them for that, Ncube said.
He said they would be handing their detailed report to the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) to initiate the legal action against the police.
However, by 2:30pm yesterday, ZLHR project lawyer Lizwe Jamela said he had not yet received the report. A policeman, Moffat Gumbo (50), was allegedly assaulted by revellers for drinking their colleagues beer without permission.
After the assault, Gumbo allegedly reported the matter to his colleagues who in turn descended on the villagers and beat them up.
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Some of the injured villagers were identified as Godfrey Ndlovu (32), Xolani Ndlovu (39), Osbert Khumalo (35), Limukani Moyo (26), Nkazimulo Ncube (23), Precious Dube (age not given), Polite Khumalo (age not given) and Mbekezeli Mthethwa (18).
They were taken to Nkayi District Hospital where the medical reports detailing their injuries were compiled and later to Silobela Hospital in Lower Gweru for further treatment. Ncube said police allegedly refused to open a docket into the case when villagers made a report.
Yesterday, acting Matabeleland North police spokesperson Eglon Nkala said they had not yet received any report concerning the action taken by the villagers against the police or disciplinary action taken on the police officers involved.
