Harare- The United States has imposed sanctions on Zimbabwe’s state security minister Owen Ncube citing what they said involvement in “gross violations of human rights”.

The State Department announced it would deny entry into the US to the Minister.

“We are deeply troubled by the Zimbabwean government’s use of state-sanctioned violence against peaceful protestors, and civil society, as well as against labour leaders and members of the opposition leaders in Zimbabwe,” Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said.

“We urge the government to stop the violence, investigate and hold accountable officials responsible for human rights violations and abuses in Zimbabwe,” he said.

The addition comes hardly on the heels of the anti-sanctions march held across the country on Friday.

Zimbabwe has seen numerous cases of politically motivated torture and abductions in the country.

In September, doctors took to the streets after Peter Magombeyi, their union leader and one of the organisers of an effort to demand higher wages for state doctors, went missing.

Ncube said at the time that Magombeyi’s case was being treated as a disappearance, not an abduction, as his colleagues have alleged.

Comedian Samantha Kureya also known as Gonyeti was a victim of abduction in which she was forced to drink sewer before being dumped.

The government has denied any involvement.