Ongwediva
A resident of Ongwediva claims he was assaulted by the police. While being detained he was also shocked to learn that thieves had broken into his shack and stolen his goods.
Moses Mwaikange who was detained briefly for taking a solar panel from a woman he says owed him money for work done, says the police refused to lock his shack when they arrested him last week on Friday.
“One police officer hit me twice and also kicked me twice,” Mwaikange said.
He also said he repeatedly asked the police officers to lock his room or at least uncuff him but they refused “and pushed me in their van”.
Mwaikange, 26, was arrested at his home at four in the morning at Mukwanamba location in Ongwediva, but he was shocked when he found his room empty upon release.
“My clothes and blankets are all gone, I just found a mattress,” Mwaikange said.
Upon the discovery, Mwaikange went back to the police station to inquire about what to do about his missing belongings. But the police officers on duty told him to go back home.
‘Leave those stupid things, do you now want to say it is the police who stole your stuff,’ a policeman snapped at him he said.
Mwaikange was arrested on Friday night after a woman sent him a text message to go to “her house”.
Upon his arrival at the house he found a man who was the real owner of the house who alerted the police.
“No case was opened against me; the gentleman had only wanted me warned,” said Mwaikange.
“I was taken to the police station, and it also happened that a lady I am constructing a house for laid charges against me and that is why I was kept there,” he said.
Mwaikange said the money the woman had paid him was not commensurate with the work he had done, and so he took a solar panel from her to coerce her to pay him.
He questioned the police’s professionalism when arresting people and their oath to protect people and their property.
“I am just human. I exchanged words with them when they refused to listen to me, but what else was I supposed to do?” said a tearful Mwaikange.