Takudzwa Ngadziore, a prominent member of Zimbabwe’s opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) party and sitting member of parliament, has taken legal action against multiple state security agents for what he describes as a harrowing abduction and torture incident earlier this year.
Ngadziore, represented by Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR), is seeking US$150,000 in compensation from those responsible for the ordeal that left him hospitalized with severe injuries. According to ZLHR, the abduction occurred on November 1, 2023, when armed men intercepted Ngadziore outside his residence in Harare as he was en route to a parliamentary session.
Reportedly, Ngadziore was forcibly taken into a vehicle, blindfolded, stripped naked, and subjected to torture that included injections of unknown substances and the use of tasers and iron rods. During the assault, Ngadziore was interrogated about his political activities and plans for the CCC party. The ordeal, broadcast live on social media by Ngadziore himself, ended with his abandonment in Christon Bank, just outside the capital.
Ngadziore’s legal team, in a recent filing at the Harare High Court, named the perpetrators as including Nicholas Kajese and Abraham Pasi from the Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO), Isaac Moyo (Director-General of CIO), Godwin Matanga (Commissioner-General of Police), and Kazembe Kazembe (Minister of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage). The lawsuit argues that the abduction and subsequent torture were unlawful and violated Ngadziore’s constitutional rights to personal security, freedom from torture, and human dignity.
The lawsuit specifies US$50,000 in damages for pain and suffering, US$50,000 for unlawful deprivation of liberty, and another US$50,000 for humiliation, affront to dignity, and embarrassment. Ngadziore, who expressed enduring physical pain and significant mental anguish from the incident, stated that the masked assailants armed with assault rifles had not provided any lawful basis for his abduction.
Ngadziore’s case has drawn attention to ongoing concerns about human rights abuses and political persecution in Zimbabwe, prompting calls for accountability and justice from local and international observers.
Conclusion: Ngadziore’s courageous legal action against alleged state security agents highlights broader issues of human rights violations and political intimidation in Zimbabwe. The outcome of this lawsuit could have significant implications for the protection of civil liberties and the rule of law in the country.