Abuse of Power by State Agents (THIS HAPPENED A YEAR AGO. IT'S POSTED HERE TO REMIND MY READERS/FRIENDS HOW FAR THE STATE CAN GO TO DEMONISE SOMEONE)

PRESS STATEMENT
20 December 2006
USE OF POLICE TO PERSECUTE HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS
Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) wishes to express its concern over the
continued harassment of human rights defenders by the Zimbabwe Republic Police and
other state agents.

ZLHR is aware that on 25 November 2006, at around 06h30, eight (8) police officers,
four (4) of whom were in uniform, attended at the home of Bishop Levee Kadenge at
Number 3, 4th Avenue, Mabelreign, Harare. The policemen told Bishop Kadenge he was
under arrest for allegedly stealing cattle which he had moved to Chivhu. Bishop Kadenge
had indeed moved some of his own cattle to his brother and nephew’s home in Chivhu to
assist them with their farming. One police officer forced Bishop Kadenge to change his
clothes in his bedroom while watching him. The police officers then took the Bishop
from his home and drove to his plot in Sandringham, some 75 km from Harare, to
investigate the issue of the stolen cattle. Bishop Kadenge’s wife who insisted on not
leaving her husband’s side was taken with them.

During the drive to Bishop Kadenge’s Sandringham Plot the police officers interrogated
him on why he was against the land reform programme. One of the police officers went
through his cell phone, and asking him why he had the telephone numbers of certain
individuals.

After establishing that Bishop Kadenge indeed had cattle at his plot the police officers
insisted on driving to Chivhu, almost 200 km away, to see the eight cattle he had given to
his brother and nephew. On the way to Chivhu the police officers were again
interrogating Bishop Kadenge on his “negative” attitude about the land reform
programme. In Beatrice the police officers stopped for a one-and-a-half-hour lunch,
without any food being given to Bishop Kadenge and his wife, who had been made to
leave their home without having eaten or taken any money. In Chivhu the police officers
saw the eight cattle and could not prove their allegations that there had been three other
stolen cattle; they however told Bishop Kadenge’s brother that they would detain the
Bishop because he had not shown them the permit for moving the cattle to Chivhu. The
Bishop’s brother promised to bring the permit to Harare.

The police officers drove back to Harare and arrived at around 00h45 on Sunday
morning. Bishop Kadenge and his wife were made to sit in the police car at Harare
Central Police Station for at almost 45 minutes. Bishop Kadenge and his wife were
released at around 01h00 on Sunday morning and told to go home without being offered
transport back, such that they had to ask their son to drive them home.