Reports coming through from the Eastern Boarder town of Mutare are that, a local teenager was last week heavily assaulted and injured by police detectives after he fingered a member of the Zimbabwe National Army as his supplier of Broncleer cough syrup which he was caught in possession of.
Broncleer is a cough mixture that contains a substance codeine phosphate. This substance when taken in excess causes a person to get high.It is a prohibited drug in Zimbabwe.
 |
| Broncleer is a cough mixture that contains a substance codeine phosphate |
Beezel Bingepinge, 19, appeared before Mutare magistrate Sekai Chiundura but could hardly sit or stand in the dock. His pair of jeans, shoes and T-shirt were soiled in blood.
Bingepinge told the magistrate that he was heavily assaulted by police detectives with booted feet, open hands and a "Coca Cola empty bottle" all over his body.
“Your Worship I am in pain; I was heavily assaulted after I implicated a soldier as my major supplier of the drugs. They (police) told me soldiers don’t take broncleer,” said Bingepinge.
Chiundura ordered the Prosecutor General`s Office to investigate the torture claims before trial could proceed.
“Please investigate this torture claim. You can see this teen can hardly sit or stand. He must receive medical attention before we proceed with trial,” Chiundura ordered.
According to the State, police detectives received a tip off that Bingepinge was illegally selling the broncleer drug to the public with a pharmacy licence.
Police raided his residence along Herbert Chitepo Street in the city and found Bingebinge with a 100 ml bottle in his pocket.
During interrogation, Bingepinge implicated a national army soldier as a major supplier, raising the ire of the detectives.
Douglas Mutiure prosecuted.
Bingepinge told the magistrate that he was heavily assaulted by police detectives with booted feet, open hands and a "Coca Cola empty bottle" all over his body.
“Your Worship I am in pain; I was heavily assaulted after I implicated a soldier as my major supplier of the drugs. They (police) told me soldiers don’t take broncleer,” said Bingepinge.
Chiundura ordered the Prosecutor General`s Office to investigate the torture claims before trial could proceed.
“Please investigate this torture claim. You can see this teen can hardly sit or stand. He must receive medical attention before we proceed with trial,” Chiundura ordered.
According to the State, police detectives received a tip off that Bingepinge was illegally selling the broncleer drug to the public with a pharmacy licence.
Police raided his residence along Herbert Chitepo Street in the city and found Bingebinge with a 100 ml bottle in his pocket.
During interrogation, Bingepinge implicated a national army soldier as a major supplier, raising the ire of the detectives.
Douglas Mutiure prosecuted.
