Senator orders release of suspects from police cells

MASVINGO—IN what could be described as an apparent travesty of justice, a Senator here, working hand in hand with a local chief, flexed his political muscle and allegedly ordered the release of two suspects from cells-leaving another two-who were arrested in bloody clashes over the Charumbira chieftainship wrangle in Mushandike area, 25 kilometers out of town.

Dzikamai Mavhaire, who is also the ZANU PF Provincial Commissar and Politburo member, is said to have instructed the Officer in Charge at Masvingo Rural Police Station to release two suspects last week who were arrested in Chief Fortune Charumbira’s area following an orgy of violence there, as the chieftainship wrangle over who is the legitimate heir to the throne continues.

Chief Fortune Charumbira, president of the Zimbabwe Council of Chiefs, who is sympathetic to the ruling ZANU PF party, has had a long standing dispute with the Bere clan, who, from his installation, opposed his reign, accusing him of having stolen the throne from them.

Sources close to the developments in the area said that the two rival and antagonistic camps from Bere and Charumbira clan were involved in brutal clashes that saw four people being arrested.

The four, Rabnos Konde and his son Phineas, who belong to the Charumbira faction and have since been released from police cells, fought against Lovemore Diza and Linos Bere from the Bere clan, who are still in police custody.

Their ages could not be ascertained as the police’s press and liaison office remained mum over the issue. They also refused to comment on the issue, which is believed to be very sensitive.

However, A Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) top brass stationed at Masvingo rural police station said Dzikamai Mavhaire, in his capacity as a Senator for Masvingo Central, stormed the base last week after hearing complaints from Chief Charumbira that some of his lieutenants were arrested after being involved in a fight with his rivals from the Bere clan.

“We were scalded by Senator Mavhaire who ordered the immediate release of Konde and his son Phineas, while saying we should further the detention of the other two from the Bere faction,” said the police officer who spoke on condition of anonymity.

The officer said that the Senator had usurped their powers as he is now dictating the pace at the police station.

“Mavhaire is now acting like the Officer-In-Charge at our police station as he is now calling the shots, deciding who should be arrested and who should not,” added the source.

While both Mavhaire and Chief Charumbira could not be contacted for a comment, sources in Mushandike also confirmed the incident after seeing Konde and his son free, while their rivals were still detained by Wednesday this week.

Violence continues to rear its ugly head in the Chieftainship wrangle in Mushandike following the dog fighting over the throne currently held by Chief Fortune Charumbira. At one time, the controversial chief detained his rivals at his home, while in another; he vandalized their irrigation pipes in sabotage.

Surprisingly, in all the cases, Chief Charumbira just escaped untouched by the law enforcement agents or the country’s justice delivery system, leaving many people here saying that he is above the law.