Pro-democracy leader allegedly assaulted by police

The Zimbabwean police say they are unaware of the alleged beating of a pro-democracy leader during a protest in the capital, Harare, on Wednesday. National Constitutional Assembly (NCA) chairman Lovemore Madhuku was reportedly severely assaulted when riot police broke up a demonstration in Africa Unity Square in the city centre, organised by the NCA to demand constitutional reforms. The Daily News reported that Madhuku was found lying in a pool of blood near the National Sports Stadium, several kilometres from the scene of the demonstration, where he was allegedly dumped after being assaulted. Police spokesman Assistant Commissioner Wayne Bvudzijena told IRIN on Thursday that he was "not aware of whether he [Madhuku] was beaten". "There was a group of people who had to be forcefully removed from Africa Unity Square. It was an NCA demonstration and they gathered there without notifying police in terms of the Public Order and Security Act," Bvudzijena said. He added that "those who were arrested paid deposit fines of Zim $10,000 [about US $2.84 at the auction rate] and were released". Bvudzijena explained that deposit fines were an "admission of guilt", so there was no need to prosecute them further. Asked whether the police would launch an inquiry into the alleged assault on Madhuku, Bvudzijena said this would only happen "if he [Madhuku] makes a formal report - then it will be investigated. We need a complainant [to] state exactly what happened". The pro-opposition Daily News reported that Madhuku had sustained lacerations to his head and was admitted to a private hospital. Speaking from his hospital bed, Madhuku told the newspaper that the police had said he needed to be "eliminated". "I was picked up outside the parliament building, together with eight [NCA] members, and pushed into a truck by the police. The others were dropped off on the way, and then six police officers started beating me with batons and fists. I remember one police detail saying that I had to be eliminated once and for all," Madhuku alleged.