MASHONALAND Central provincial war veterans’ leader, Sam Parirenyatwa has alleged interference by senior police officers in a case in which his cattle destroyed a neighbour’s crops two years ago.
BY STAFF REPORTER
Court documents show that Parirenyatwa received an order to stay execution pending finalisation of the matter in March 2015 following Chief Negomo’s ruling and the subsequent seizure of his beasts.
“Pending the final determination of this matter, the respondent, Juliet Nyadongo, be and is, hereby, ordered to stay execution of the judgment under Case No. DCA 6/15 and restore possession of the two beasts she attached to the applicant,” the interim relief said.
It is on the strength of that order by a Bindura magistrate that Parirenyatwa repossessed his beasts with assistance from the police. But last year Nyadongo again approached the courts and was granted an order to take the beasts as payment for the destruction of her crops. But Parirenyatwa this time approached the High Court and reported Nyadongo for theft. The matter has not been resolved since then, forcing the war veteran to write to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) with an official complaint.
In a letter to the NPA dated January 7, Parirenyatwa complains that there seems to be undue interference around the matter.
“My problem is lack of finality as a result of obstruction, interference and reluctance on the part of the police as they fail to bring the accused before the courts. The IO (investigating officer) is failing to bring the accused to court as a result of interference by senior police officers. I have engaged the police hierarchy to no avail, as it appears the officer protecting the accused (Nyodongo) is of a very influential position,” he said.
The former freedom fighter also accuses the police of “selective application of the law”.
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In the letter, Parirenyatwa also claims that Nyodongo attacked police details intending to arrest her and a “phone call to senior officers had stopped the arrest”.
“Much to our disbelief, the police asked us to drive them back to the station leaving the accused scot-free (sic),” he said.
