adminCommissioner General Augustine Chihuri, Commissioner of Prisons Retired General Paradzayi Zimondi and Superintendent Charles Ngirishi are also listed as respondents.
Zimuto was charged for public violence together with his boss ISO leader Munyaradzi Gwisai and was acquitted at the end of the trial. In his application, Zimuto says on February 19 last year he was invited to attend a meeting at ISO offices which was strictly by invitation. He says the purpose of the meeting was to commemorate the life of an HIV/Aids activist as well as discuss lessons that could be learnt from events in Tunisia and Egypt.
Zimuto submitted that during the meeting, police officers in riot gear entered the room and started assaulting everyone in the meeting. He says he was subjected to cruel, inhumane and degrading treatment. The ISO member says he was assaulted and tortured at Harare Central Police Station and was denied medication.
He also claims that he was detained beyond the 48-hour limit and no warrant for further detention was obtained. At Chikurubi, Zimuto says, he was treated as a convicted prisoner and was unlawfully forced to cut grass every Tuesday and Thursday against his will. He says the arrest was unlawful and there was no reasonable suspicion that he committed the offence.
Zimuto who is represented by Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights is demanding US$50 000 for unlawful detention, US$50 000 unlawful arrest, US$100 000 in damages for pain, shock, trauma and contumelia and US$100 000 for malicious prosecution.
Online Reporter