Sister of police brutality victim relives grisly experiences

RUVIMBO MUCHENJE

“He said to me, “Your brother is not going to walk out of this police station; he is going to leave in that metal coffin that you are seeing,” reminisces a distraught Melisa Manyepa, recounting the last moments she saw her brother, in anguish, after he was assaulted by an overzealous police officer at Ruwa Police Station called Prince Ndavambi.

Manyepa is half-sister to Believe Blessed Juruvenge, the victim of police brutality.

Juruvenge was picked up from his home by Ndavambi as a suspect for alleged extortion and assault at around 8am on 27 May 2025 in the company of the complainant only identified as Maphosa.

He walked out of his home, told his expecting wife, Mercy Madenyika, that he would be back soon, only to be expected to return to the same address face up in a coffin as had been promised by Ndavambi.

Police say, Ndavambi is a murder suspect and a fugitive who is on their radar and are appealing for help in locating him.

“Sadly Constable Ndavambi disappeared as his arrest was imminent. He is currently on the run. Efforts to arrest him are underway for the law to take its course without fear or favour: The Commissioner General of Police, Stephen Mutamba has made it lear that the law is the law and no one will sweep this disturbing case under the carpet,” read the statement from Police spokesperson Commissioner Paul Nyathi.

The statement was in response to the family’s worry that the police were not acting as fast as they expected.

The horror story started with Maphosa’s brother in law going to Juruvenge’s shop in the company of his friends to make a purchase of body wash, washing powder and USD$2 airtime amounting to USD$ 10, with a fake USD$50 note.

The group bought the stuff from Madenyika while Juruvenge was getting a haircut at a nearby salon.

They took their change and airtime promising to come back for the soap.

A few moments after the transaction had been completed, Madenyika realised that the money was fake and everyone at their home in Damafalls where their small enterprise is located went up and down the streets trying to locate the culprits but could not find them.

“We then met some towel vendors who do door to door selling and asked if they had seen the guys with the description we had provided and they said they had not. A few moments later the women told us they had seen the culprits walking out of an accomodation agent’s house and we tracked him down,” said Manyepa.

Upon apprehending one of the guys who turned out to be Maphosa’s brother in law, Juruvenge and friends beat them asking why they had bought with a fake note.

Unidentified men with handculfs, whom Manyepa believe were police officers, handcuffed the culprit and ordered him to sit on the ground.

He begged to call Maphosa who then brought the USD$50 as replacement and another USD$50 as compensation, all in a bid to keep his in-law from going to jail.

Unfortunately Maphosa reported Juruvenge to Ruwa Police Station for extortion of USD$200 and assault.

This was the reason for the apprehending of Juruvenge on May 7.

Manyepa witnessed the torture of his brother at Ruwa Police Station and cried uncontrollably in the face of an unmoved Ndavambi who was bragging of taking dagga so that he would be unreasonable.

“AT 10:03am, about two hours after Ndavambi picked Bee, the police offier called me to follow to the police and I told him that I had no bus fare and they came to pick me up from home,” she narrated.

“He took a plank the size of a hoe handle and beat my brother senselessly. Bee started crying until the sound turned to grunting until his voice was weak and he kept saying you have killed me. He was in pain,” added Manyepa.

Ndavambi then turned to Manyepa and started interrogating her for her role in the extortion.

“He said to me, you have been harboring a criminal and started beating me on my knees and hurt my knees, a finger and my foot until a female officer pleaded with him to let me go,” she recounted.

Manyepa suffered injuries that needed the attention of a medical practitioner.

“He released me to go and look for the USD$200 and I went home and called my mother and narrated the situation.

“My mother then advised that we sell a wardrobe and a kitchen unit to raise the USD$200 to pay Maphosa,” said Manyepa.

Unfortunately Juruvenge’s condition deteriorated at night and he was rushed to Ruwa Rehabilitation Centre where he died.

At this stage the family is unaware that Juruvenge is nomore.

In the morning, Manyepa found a buyer for the furniture who said he wanted to consult with his wife before buying.

The customer was not as quick as the situation required so Manyepa went to Ruwa Police station after she had been called by the Officer In Charge to bring identification documents for Juruvenge.

On disermbarking the vehicle that transported her to the station, she got a call from home that the customer had arrived and she was relieved, she asked that the guys at home collect the payment and follow her to Ruwa Police station.

On arriving at Ruwa Police Station, Manyepa met a police vehicle with a metal coffin at the back, but she was in a hurry to see her brother so she did not pay attention to it.

“Was your brother sick?” asked the officer in charge.

“I said no he wasn’t, and he said, I am sorry but your brother passed on last night at Ruwa Rehabilitation Centre,”

A fortnight later, the family has dispersed the crowd and have shelved any plans to bury the deceased.

The post morterm report says there is suspected foul play but the doctor is wating for a toxicology report.

Until then the family just waits hoping that the report projects what led to the demise of their loved one.

Police have been under fire for perpetuating human rights violations since the colonial era.

According to the Zim Rights’ 2024 annual report, police have accounted for 4697 accounts of human rights violations.

“The data on perpetrators reveals a troubling trend, with ZANU PF members identified as responsible for 1,359 violations, followed by local government officials and police forces. This points to a pattern where state apparatus andafliated political entities are implicated in perpetuating human rights abuses. The prevalence f ZRP violations (4,697 instances) raises concerns about accountability and transparency with regard to policing.” reads the report.

Before the news of Juruvenge’s demise, in 2018, three police officers, Andrew Masanga, Brighton Makichi and Trynos Rwanga appeared in a Chinhoyi court for fattally shooting Kurt Rahman.

The deceased and his friends were unlawfully hunting redbucks in Darwendale where they encountered the police.

The trio was acquitted this month, not because they did not commit the crime but because of a technicality that prosecution proceeded with the case without authorisation from the Prosecutor General.

Section 4 of the Protetion of Wildlife (Indemnity) Act prohibits the arrest or prosecution of indemnified persons such as police officers acting in connection with suppression of unlawful hunting without the PG’s prior approval.

In June 2025, a police officer was jailed 20 years for killing a Silobela man in cold blood.

Justice Naison Chivayo ruled that 32 year old Playmore Manyange fatally shot Bhekani Moyo during a predawn raid at the latter’s homestead in March 2020.

The court heard that Manyange fired an FN rifle at close range, an act the judge described as without justification.

In his defence, Manyange argued that he acted in self defence as he felt threatened during the raid.

The judge said:”The accused shot the now deceased from close range directing his shot at the chest. What else is expected when one is discharging an FN rifle into a human being?Death is obvious.”

In March 2025, Constable Nomore Muradzikwa appeared in a Bulawayo Court for allegedly fatally shooting CID officer, Detective Cassandra Hove.

The matter is still before the courts.

Constable Blessed Moyo, who was stationed at Malalume police base in Bulilima District, Matabeleland South, was arrested in May 2025 after the remains of a man he had detained were discovered in a pit latrine behind the local clinic, which also housed the police base. Authorities recovered a skull, bones, torn clothing, a bloodied knife, and handcuffs.

He appeared in court following his arrest and was subsequently granted bail.