Glenview police station shocked Zimbabweans when they detained a 65-year-old widow accusing her of demanding rent from a tenant.
Mrs Editor Mavaza was detained by Glenview police for demanding rent from her lodger Owen Ndoro who is a well known MDC activist.
Mr Owen Ndoro an MDC A activist refused to pay his rent and further refused to vacate the property despite having been given enough notice. He assaulted the landlord for asking for her rent and boasted that the police will not do anything to him and that he will not vacate the property. He told the landlord to go and collect her rent from Mnangagwa.
The landlord Ms Editor Mavaza made a report of an assault to Glenview Police who refused to take action telling her that “the police station was not a rally”.
The officer told Ms Mavaza that she was too proud of her brother Dr Masimba Mavaza who is a defender of President ED Mnangagwa on social media and abroad. The officer instructed Ms Mavaza to go home and allow the lodger to stay until Mnangagwa gives people money.
After a month the lodger Mr Ndoro refused to pay again saying he is not going to pay and nothing will happen to him. The landlord then removed her door as she intended to repair it. The lodger went to the police in Glenview.
The same officer who had refused to handle the assault case was the one who took the report. He arrested the landlord and detained her. The landlord was denied food, medication and access to her lawyer. She allegedly was told to get her food from her brother who is a known ZANU PF Activist.
In the evening her lawyer came and the police refused him permission to see his client. The police forced the landlord to abandon any eviction process in exchange for her freedom.
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Despite the fact that the facts of the matter did not disclose crime and that the landlord has a fixed aboard the police sought to take the matter personally.
This abuse of authority by the police angered civic organisations resulting in LEAD leaser Linda T Masaira writing an open letter to the Commissioner-General to air her disquiet about the heavy-handedness by the police. The detention was unwarranted and it was motivated by malice.
Ms Editor Mavaza’s lawyer Mrs Eucheria Makaka served the police with a pre-action protocol.
Speaking to this reporter Ms Editor Mavaza said she was disappointed with the police.
“The painful thing is that the police insulted me for the things I did not know. And they chose to send me to the cells while my lodger was sent into my house to sleep there.”
“Right now he is refusing to vacate because the police are backing him. I am suffering because of my brother’s political activities.” She said as she cried.
Glenview police refused to comment referring all the questions to the Police headquarters.-Byo24
