Zim Human Rights Lawyer Goes Into Hiding

Blessing Nyamaropa, a project lawyer for Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) was at the weekend interrogated and harassed by notorious police officers Chief Superintendent Chrispen Makedenge and Detective Inspector Henry Dowa from the Law and Order Section of Harare Central Police Station when he went there to check the whereabouts of Farai’s young brother, who is in police custody. The police are using his detention and interrogation as inducement in their bid to arrest Farai.

Makedenge and Dowa questioned Nyamaropa for taking interest to enquire about Maguwu’s young brother. The two police officers interrogated the human rights lawyer on the identity of the person who gave him instructions to represent Maguwu’s brother. They compelled Nyamaropa to disclose to them his personal details such as his identity, residence and his mobile phone numbers.

The interrogation and harassment of Nyamaropa follows the raid on the offices of the CRD, a Non-Governmental Organisation that has exposed human rights abuses in the Chiadzwa diamonds fields.

 The police raided CRD last Thursday in search of Farai. After failing to locate the CRD director, the police proceeded to his home where they arrested his young brother.

Farai had earlier on met the visiting Kimberley Process Certification Process monitor Abbey Chikane, who was in the country assessing Zimbabwe’s compliance with international regulations to trade in diamonds from the Chiadzwa fields.