September 8, 2003
At about 11 a.m. on August 29, 2003, four ZRP Constabulary officers (2 males and 2 females) on patrol arrived at Mutsvangwa Business Center in Chimanimani District. Mr. Charamba can positively identify these constabulary members, although he does not know them by name.
The four approached Nehemiah Charamba and accused him of vending illegally. They demanded his identity card. In the process, they saw his MDC membership card, which they confiscated together with his national ID and six loaves of bread. They did not pay for the bread. They accused Mr. Charamba of being a MDC member, and thus a front for the Western imperialists.
Mr. Charamba went to his home in the afternoon and then proceeded to ZRP Police Post to report the constabulary officers to their superiors. He arrived at the Police Post at about 7 p.m. on August 29, 2003.
At the ZRP Police base, he saw and reported his case to Sgt. Nasho. Sgt. Nasho asked him to hang around until the following day (Saturday) when the 4 constabulary members would be back to give their side of the story.
Late in the night, (after 12 midnight) Sgt. Nasho began interrogating Mr. Charamba. In the processes, Mr. Charamba was found guilty of being an MDC activist. Nasho threatened Mr. Charamba in front of a police informer (whom Mr. Charamba can identify). Nasho then urinated into a cup and forced Mr. Charamba to drink it if he wanted his freedom. Nasho also searched Mr. Charamba for possibly carrying herbs (muti). In the process, he found $40,000 on Mr. Charamba which he took away without explanation.
Nasho then asked Mr. Charamba and an informer to get out of the kitchen and go to another room to put up for the night.
At about 2 a.m., the four constabulary arrived from patrol and they went to the room where Mr. Charamba and the informer slept. Nasho did not wake-up to weigh the case, as per his initial promise. The constabulary members accused Mr. Charamba of running away from them, and then began assaulting him all over his body with pieces of firewood, clinched fists, open hands, and boots.
Mr. Charamba suffered bruising to his whole body. He also lost one upper front tooth, got a serious elbow injury, and a swollen and badly bruised head and face.
Mr. Charamba was taken out of the room, further tortured, and accused of being a sellout. The four constabulary members watered Mr. Charamba, forced him to roll in the mud, and then on the hard concrete stones while the watering and beating continuing.
Mr. Charamba complained of difficulties in breathing, pain, and injuries but this did not stop the torture until about 5 a.m. Mr. Charamba was then allowed to warm himself by the fire before being released to lie in the sun at 6 a.m.
At about 7 a.m., Nasho went to the shops as the two male members of the constabulary members force-marched Mr. Charamba to the nearby Nyahode river to bath himself and wash his muddy clothes.
At the river, Mr. Charamba was again beaten hard for resisting and being slow in taking instructions to jump into the cold water. Mr. Charamba later gave in, and then the beating stopped. From the river, the three went back to the ZRP Police Post, where Mr. Charamba was released without any charges being laid.
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