HIGH Court Judge Justice David Mangota will on Wednesday 31 May 2017 preside over a pre-trial conference meant to determine the issues for trial in a lawsuit in which 63 year-old Gogo Lillian Chinyerere is demanding $13 500 in compensation from Home Affairs Minister Hon. Ignatius Chombo and Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) Commissioner-General Augustine Chihuri for damages arising from the brutal assault she suffered at the hands of ZRP officers last year.
Gogo Chinyerere, a resident of Chitungwiza, about 25 kilometres outside Harare was brutally assaulted by armed riot police officers while sitting near the court entrance at Harare Magistrates Court on 26 August 2016.
The ZRP officers kicked her repeatedly with booted feet and struck her several times with truncheons.
According to summons filed in the High Court by her lawyer David Hofisi of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, Gogo Chinyerere, who suffers from high blood pressure and is diabetic, suffered the ignominy of a brutal assault on her aging body in full view of the public and also suffered physical harm as well as harm to her dignity as she was humiliated in full view of the public.
Hofisi said the 63 year-old Gogo Chinyerere suffered injuries to her back and shoulder and has been unable to proceed with her job as a tailor due to the injuries sustained and has been relying on well-wishers for her sustenance.
As a result of the callous assault, Gogo Chinyerere suffered damages amounting to $13 500 broken down as $5 000 for pain and suffering, $5 000 for contumelia, $2 000 as special damages for loss of income and $1 000 as special damages for past and future medical expenses.
In response, the defendants, Hon. Chombo and Chihuri through their lawyer only identified as P.N Mutsvanga from the Civil Division of the Attorney General’s Office are denying the allegations levelled against their subordinates that Gogo Chinyerere was assaulted and claim that these are false accusations.
Mutsvanga argued that there are high chances that photographs depicting the assault of Gogo Chinyerere which were circulated widely on social media were “doctored” to suit her requirements and to tarnish the image of ZRP.
Picture credit: Tafadzwa Ufumeli
