Zim soldiers held for riots
2008-12-04 14:12
Special Report
A classical music presenter for the BBC has been arrested and is in custody in Zimbabwe.
Harare - Police in Zimbabwe said 16 of the country's soldiers were being detained and interrogated over a recent spate of violence and looting in and around Harare, the state-run media reported on Thursday.
Six of the soldiers were part of a group of 15 that beat up members of the public, looted shops and assaulted riot police last week, police spokesperson Wayne Bvudzijena said, The Herald reported.
The other 10 were detained over the looting of shops on Monday in Harare, he added.
"Since we launched a joint investigation, which includes the military and the police, to look into what has happened, we have picked up 30 soldiers and screened them, leaving the 10 we have an interest in," Bvudzijena said.
The Herald reported that rogue soldiers had gone on the rampage between Thursday last week and Monday this week, beating up illegal foreign currency dealers and looting shops in the city centre, and in Mbare and Chitungwiza.
The government has vowed to punish the troops involved in the rampage.
Defence Minister Sydney Sekeramayi told reporters on Tuesday that the military was investigating looting carried out by "unruly" soldiers and promised the culprits would be punished.
"During the last five days, Harare experienced disturbances by a few unruly elements from the defence forces," he said.
"As a result, a number of properties were damaged, innocent people injured, money and property stolen," he added.
"Measures are being taken that this will not happen again. These incidents are being investigated and those culpable would be brought to book."
Several shops were looted and witnesses accused soldiers of having carried off goods.
The state-run Herald newspaper and The Star newspaper in South Africa on Wednesday published pictures of uniformed soldiers apparently looting shops and taking goods away. Police were called to break up the riot.
The army has denied approving the attack on foreign currency dealers, who provide an illegal but essential service in a country where local bank notes lose value by the hour.
- AFP