MIRROR REPORTER

CHIVHU – Chivhu Police now notorious for human rights abuses recently arrested and detained Mirror reporter Moses Madyira, confiscated his phone and deleted pictures and other private material from it.

The cops bragged as they did so that they were above the law and their action served as a warning on all other scribes.
Madyira who was this Saturday crowned The Mirror Reporter of the Year for 2021 was harassed and detained for four hours despite producing his Zimbabwe Media Commission (ZMC) Press card.

Mash East spokesperson Simon Chazovachii said he is yet to receive the report but emphasized the media and Police should harmoniously work together.
Madyira was arrested for taking pictures of running battles between the Police and vendors in the CBD in Chivhu on 22 December last year. He was grabbed by a cop known as Mutomwa who snatched his smartphone.

The officers even went through Madyira’s private WhatsApp messages reading them aloud to each other.
“I was doing my duties as an accredited journalist and the Police used force and violence to stop my work. The harassed me, humiliated me and illegally deleted material from my phone,” said Madyira.

Police at Chivhu Station refused Madyira to make any calls when he requested his cellphone to inform the company about his arrest. A Police officer identified as Constable Chimedza threatened to restore the cellphone, he also threatened Madyira that he should make it a point that he keeps good relationships with the police or else he would show him how Chivhu is a small town as well as because he, Chimedza was bred there so Madyira won’t have a good time in the town.

Chimedza went on to brag that Journalists always talk about the rights which can be easily infringed by the police because they are employed to enforce the law.
They deleted all the pictures and videos without Madyira’s consent. They even opened WhatsApp chats and other private folders.
On release, Police officers made Madyira concede that he had taken a lesson and he won’t dare the police again as it was just a warning.
Chivhu Police also arrested Chivhu Resident and Ratepayers Alliance Chairman Collen Zvarevashe in November 2021 for taking pictures outside court; he was also released without charge.