A Rusape woman has asked the court to order a vindictive Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) officer to pay her damages amounting to RTGS$3 million as compensation for unlawful assault and ill-treatment perpetrated against her after she turned down the law enforcement agent’s sexual advances.
Represented by Peggy Tavagadza of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, the 27-year-old Nomatter Chikunguru recently filed summons at Rusape Magistrates Court seeking an order compelling Constable Brian Kasu based at Rusape Police Station, ZRP Commissioner-General Godwin Matanga and Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage Minister Hon. Kazembe Kazembe to pay her RTGS$3 million as compensation for the violation of her rights by Kasu, who arrested and ill-treated her after she spurned his sexual advances.
Chikunguru, who is employed as a mortician at Heritage Funeral Parlour and is stationed at Rusape General Hospital in Manicaland province, was arrested by Kasu, who is employed by ZRP as a dog handler, on 9 April 2021 while she was on her way home.
The arrest came after Kasu had asked Chikunguru where she was coming from and was told that she was a mortician coming from work. Kasu made further inquiries regarding whom Chikunguru stayed with and she advised him that she resides alone.
Kasu then suggested that he wanted to go to Chikunguru’s home for a sleepover and she advised him that she had no interest in sleeping with him.
Thereafter, Kasu gave orders to the police dog and unleashed it on Chikunguru without any provocation and he proceeded to force march the mortician to a ZRP vehicle and in the process bragging that he wanted to deal with her and to make sure that the dog bites her buttocks as that was the source of her arrogance.
After this ill-treatment, Chikunguru, who sustained injuries on her body, was taken to Rusape Police Station where she was detained and charged with assaulting or resisting a peace officer as defined in section 176 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act.
Chikunguru was recently acquitted by Rusape Magistrate Rufaro Mangwiro after a full trial in a case of spiteful vengeance after Kasu’s sexual advances towards her were rebuffed.
Out of a total of RTGS$3 million, Chikunguru said RTGS$2 780 will be compensation for the medical expenses which she incurred as she sought treatment while RTGS$2 997 220 will be cover for damages arising from pain, suffering and nervous shock.
ENDS
Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR)