Three junior police officers from Mutare yesterday nailed their boss, Chief Superintendent Joseph Chani, accusing him of applying brute force to extract evidence from four suspected diamond diggers, leading to the death of one of the suspects.
The trio — Assistant Inspector Edson Mandizvidza, Constables Centre Mkuli and Knowledge Bhobho made the startling disclosures during a High Court circuit trial into the murder of Chiadzwa villager, Tsorosai Kusena.
Chani allegedly beat up Kusena on September 23 last year, leading to his death in police custody, the court heard.
Mandizvidza told the court he later wrestled Chani and disarmed him after realising that his boss was applying excessive force on the suspects who were all members of one family.
“I arrived at the diamond base at around 6pm and realised that there were a lot of soldiers and policemen at the holding cells,” said Mandizvidza.
“I proceeded to the holding cells and found out that the accused (Chani) was assaulting the suspects.
“I realised that he was using severe force and I concluded that the suspects had been assaulted for a long time. I thought it was my duty as a police officer to restrain him from assaulting the suspects because it is not allowed. I managed to disarm him and I threw the stick into the fire to prevent it from being used again.”
Mkhuli and Bhobho corroborated Mandizvidza’s evidence, adding they witnessed the prolonged assault that ended at dusk but they could do nothing because they were lowly ranked.
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Mkuli, who was stationed at the holding cell at the Diamond Base in Chiadzwa, said the suspects looked healthy when they were surrendered to them at the Diamond Base by security officers at Mbada Diamonds company.
He attributed Kusena’s death to injuries sustained during the attack.
High Court judge Hlekani Mwayera is presiding over the matter.
