Constitutional lawyer and opposition politician, Lovemore Madhuku says the use of excessive force by the country’s security apparatus while enforcing the country’s lockdown measures was uncalled for.
Madhuku said security services can only use force if there is resistance and they also have to follow established procedures.
Madhuku made the remarks during a virtual interaction with social workers Tuesday. He said:
Security forces can only use reasonable force when reasonable force is called for.
As a general rule, enforcement of lockdown statutory instruments does not require the use of force by security forces.
The security forces are there to arrest people if they are posing a danger and from there, the legal processes of prosecution will take place; not to use excessive force.
Since the lockdown was declared by President Emmerson Mnangagwa March this year, there have been reports of police brutality against citizens and journalists.
Recently, six junior police officers were arrested in Bulawayo’s Cowdray Park suburb for brutally assaulting two women for allegedly violating the stay at home order.