Torture by police must stop
Torture is thriving because rather than respecting the law, many governments are either actively using torture or turning a blind eye´ Amnesty International
As a columnist, it is of vital impor tance for me to strive to write truth to power and do so objectively, without fear or favour.
It is also of vital importance that I offer my opinion to the public, en gage it by triggering debates on any matters of national interest, including those acts committed by individu als, group of individuals, and, yes... governments that violate the dignity and human rights of the citi]ens of the country.
2ur duty as writers is to seek out the truth, in the interests of the public’s right to know, whatever the conse quences to ourselves. :e need to defend freedom of information, free dom of commentary and criticism, and the independence and dignity of the press.
6weeping under the carpet any unconstitutional misdemeanors per petrated by those in positions of trust, power, or authority, where such misdeeds violate the dignity of, say, my person, or that of any other human being, is not only unethical, but a gross violation of the rule of law.
In our case, the rule of law is, or should be represented by the coun try’s &onstitution, which is, or rather, is supposed to be the supreme law of the country. The country is also signatory to numerous, international conventions especially those which protect human rights, and it is in our obligation and interest as a country to respect these conventions.
It is also important, here, that I put it succinctly clear that the desecration of the rule of law by those in positions of influence is often unwittingly aided by some of the victims of inhumane treatment, who are sometimes either reluctant or scared of reporting such violations.
I have, therefore, seen it proper, and ethical of me as a public figure to break my two year silence, and inform the public about my e[cruciating, torture ordeal at the hands of detectives based in one of the country’s police precincts.
They grossly violated my dignity, and unconstitutionally employed im moral, torturous means to coerce me to make a confession on a crime I never committed.
I sincerely believe, it will not only help me find closure, but I sincerely hope that the police hierarchy will hopefully e[ercise a tighter control over the manner rogue police officers’ conduct their duties, and, in some instances and in the process, violating the rights of suspects, as they forcefully coerce a confession, even on innocent suspects.
I also hope that it will help victims of police torture to find the courage to report any police misconduct. As much as it is very rare that any actions are taken to eventually punish police misconduct, bring before the courts of the land perpetrators of torture, it is important that such diabolical acts are reported.
It is crucial for me to also mention that I long forgave those rogue, police detectives who used brutal, unorthodo[ means of e[tracting a confession from yours truly who was an innocent crime suspect. They nearly made orphans of my children. I am *od fearing and subscribe to biblical admonitions like 0DWWKHZ
³%ut if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your )ather forgive your trespasses...´
The afternoon of 6eptember , 2020, is one that will remain indelible in my mind for years to come...
I was at the time of my torture ordeal at the hands of cops employed by one of the country’s oldest security compa nies, whose headquarters are situated somewhere around the country.
2n the morning of the 6eptember , 2020, I knocked off from my duty post at am after doing night duty, at one of the country’s, leading, food chain supermarkets.
After handing over to the day duty security, I went home to sleep. At around 2.2 pm, I was awakened by the ringing of my mobile phone, and recognised that the number calling was that of my manager at the company’s branch around the country.
The manager informed me that the police needed to see me urgently, and were waiting for me at the premises of the supermarket. 2n inquiring what could be the matter, he told me that he will e[plain later, and that they were on their way to collect me from my place of abode and that I must be ready.
Intrigued about what could have happened, I had no time to bathe, was up and on my way to meet my man ager. +e met me halfway, driving the company car.
As I took my seat inside the car, in apprehension, I inquired what was the problem. The manager was travelling with the day supervisor, who then told me that there had been a break in at the offices of a mobile company which was adjacent to the supermarket and an undisclosed number of items were stolen. They did not tell me what were the items stolen.
:e arrived at the parking area at the supermarket comple[. The cops took me to an office and requested my manager to leave the office.
A barrage of intimidating questions were thrown at me by about eight detec tives, including how I conducted my night duty, patrols and who I normally see during my duty. I e[plained to them that the people who normally came at any time during the night were those who came to use the ad jacent AT0s, and that every morning between am, and 0am., deliveries of newspapers at the comple[ were conducted by vans from the two, country’s main newspapers.
They threatened me, warning me that a lot of e[pensive things were stolen during the previous night, and repeatedly coerced me to tell them the µtruth’ since I was the main suspect. I was baffled because as far as I was concerned, nothing untoward had happened during my night duties.
They insisted that I know about the break in, and that if I do not come out clean and confess to committing the crime, since a lot of e[pensive items were stolen, I would regret it.
I maintained my innocence. They said that failure to µconfess’ will result in them engaging in what they called a µnew gear’. I stood my ground. They ordered me to get out, follow them, asking me where I stayed. I told them where I stayed. They told me to jump in at the back of the police van, and drove with me to my flat.
0y twelve year old son who attend ed school in town had not yet arrived, and I was praying that he was not at home yet, since the sight of me with cops was going to traumatise him.
As I came out from the back of the van, neighbours began peep ing through doors and windows, obviously shocked since I’m a re spectable member of society. The police ransacked my room looking for something they refused to tell me what it was.
They asked me what I wore when on duty. I showed them my uniform, including a large, dark jacket. 0y backpack was searched and the &on stitution of the country was found. They mockingly asked me what do I use it for.
8nfortunately, in the middle of ran sacking my room, my son came in and he was very shocked to find the room in a chaotic state. I told him not to be terrified and that all will be fine, these were cops.
After not finding whatever they were looking for, they took me to the police station, where I was shown a video of a young looking man wearing dark clothes, walking around, apparently in an office and picking out items, putting them inside what looked like a reddish in colour, plastic bag.
They told me this is the man who broke in, and it was me. That I was shocked would be an understate ment 0e" %reaking in and stealing someone’s property" :as this a sick joke" The male in the picture looked younger than me, and was wearing a light weight jacket, while the one I wear at work was bulky.
0y cellphone was taken from me by a detective who took it to another office, presumably to search through it. They asked me to walk to the door, which I did and ordered me to come back to where they were sitting. I heard some of them accusing me that the way I walked proved to them that the man in the video was me. The video then showed him moving away from the comple[ e[it, carrying the reddish plastic, walking away towards the town direction.
The interrogation went on, and the number of detectives who were inter rogating me, increased. I was clearly intimidated.
They were very threatening, using unpalatable, derogatory language in their approach. All of them were simultaneously hurling questions at me, calling me ‘lisela leligugile’. I felt so humiliated.
I maintained my innocence. At that time, one detective, who appeared to be senior to the team, then warned me that he was now leaving, and if I failed to confess while he was still there, he won’t be there to µprotect’ me because this team of detectives do not play games with thugs like me, and will e[tract a confession from me, by hook or crook. +e left.
They gave me one last chance and warned me that the µgear’ they had earlier cautioned me about that they will engage, will now begin if I still maintained my stubbornness. Again, I insisted that I did not commit the crime.
They then ordered me to take off my canvas shoes, and jacket. In the room, there were long, wooden benches, and I was ordered to lie down on one of them facing up, my legs drawn together.
2ne detective who was very active in interrogating me, tied both my ankles with what appeared to be a belt of sorts, including my waist.
I was ordered to put my hands around, and below the bench, where the detective fastened my writs tightly with handcuffs.
I totally immobilied, I could not move. Another detective brought with him two plastic bags and a soiled look ing, army green, coloured jacket.
I was given one last chance to con fess. I still maintained my innocence. I must point out that all the time, I was never told what was stolen, e[cept that a lot of money, including other e[pensive items were stolen.
The detective then placed the plastic bags over my face, covering it com pletely and also covered my face with the jacket. I started suffocating, with my breath being cut off. I was told to hit the bench with the handcuffs when I finally wanted to tell them the truth.
0y breathing was becoming im possible, and I was losing strength. :hen I could not hold my breath any longer, I hit the bench, and was asked if I wanted to talk, They warned me that they were not playing games and if I lied, I would regret it.
The detective who was holding the suffocating material, lifted it slightly. I pleaded with them that they were killing me. I was innocent. They were livid. It went on and on, and I felt that if I failed to create a fictitious story, they were going to suffocate me to death. I hit the bench and told them I did commit the break in.
They eased the plastic bags and asked me what burglar tools did I use. In desperation, I tried telling them that I used spanners and an a[e anything that came to mind.
They would hear none of it. It was back to the torture until finally, I could feel my bowels threatening to loosen. I hit the bench, told them that I felt I was about to soil myself if this continued, and wanted to go to the toilet.
They shouted for the detective who was torturing me to take me to the toilet, lest I soil myself in their midst. 2n the way to the toilet, I could barely walk and was very weak and disori entated. I also began coughing thick clots of blood, signalling my chest was damaged.
I was taken back, and found the de tective holding what looked like a pair of electric wires. I heard them saying I was stubborn and the ne[t, best step to take was to electrocute me on my private parts.
I am a columnist and have written numerous articles about police bru tality. I remembered that some years ago, a 0o]ambican national, named =avale, had died after having been allegedly tortured by police. I knew I was facing the same fate. I felt sad that if I died, no one would ever know how I died.
I then realised that I will not be coming out alive from this place the police station. I thought of my son who witnessed me being taken by the po lice. +is mother is not working. +ow will they cope after I’m killed" I felt overwhelmed with emotion.
I then asked the detectives to give me a chance to pray to my *od plead with +im to accept my spirit.
They laughed at me, mocking me that I am a criminal, and do I think *od will accept the spirit of a µsgebengu’ thug .
I prayed hard in spite of their mock ing. I was ordered to lie on the bench again. I don’t remember what hap pened after that, but suddenly I was ordered to get up, and dress up. They took me to the police van and dropped me at home. I was very weak and the coughing of blood continued.
I think...no, I am sure my *od inter vened.. There was no other e[plana tion. +e is a loving *od who protects us from all manner of evil.
The long and short of my ordeal story is that the real culprit was later apprehended.
This raises this vital and pertinent question Are there no upright, legal, scientific, or modern ways cops can employ to coerce a confession from suspects, besides this horrific meth od" +ow, and why do courts accept confessions under torture"
:hat are the chances that a si]eable number of convicts serving their sen tences in the country’s prisons could be innocent of the charges laid against them" I leave that to the readers to respond, or debate the issue.
Peace! Shalom!