Four residents of Shurugwi, Zimbabwe, who were physically tortured by Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) officers during the Covid-19 lockdown, are set to receive a total of $40,000 in compensation after winning a legal case against the army commander and the Defence Minister.
The residents, Grant Zinyuke, Moreblessing Ncube, Batler Jabangwe, and Mavhuto Kachepa, sued Defence Minister Oppah Muchinguri and ZNA commander Lieutenant-General Anselem Sanyatwe for damages resulting from the torture they suffered in 2021.
During the government-enforced lockdown, soldiers went on a violent spree and assaulted the residents. Sanyatwe and Muchinguri were held accountable in a trial at Shurugwi Magistrates Court.
In the court summons, the plaintiffs argued that the soldiers, who were acting in the course of their duties under the supervision of Sanyatwe and Muchinguri, acted unlawfully. The citizens were represented by lawyers from Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, who contended that the assaults were without justification and resulted in severe injuries.
The magistrate ruled that the soldiers’ actions amounted to cruel, inhumane, and degrading treatment, causing trauma, pain, and suffering for the residents. Muchinguri and Sanyatwe were ordered to pay $10,000 to Zinyuke, $12,000 to Mavhuto, $8,000 to Jabangwe, and $8,000 to Ncube to compensate for their injuries, medical expenses, and emotional distress.
