HIGH Court judge Justice Never Katiyo has ordered the police to feed arrested accused individuals while in their custody and declared as unconstitutional the practice of withholding food from them.
“Police are, therefore, instructed to provide food to detained suspects as denying food is a violation of the Constitution,” Justice Katiyo said in his ruling.
The judge further contended that depriving arrested individuals of food amounts to inhumane detention, which is in violation of section 50(5)(d) of the Constitution. The court ordered the Commissioner-General of Police and Minister of Home Affairs to rectify this situation within one month.
The ruling was made in a case filed by Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) legislator Amos Chibaya challenging the unjust practice of denying food to individuals detained by the police. Chibaya argued that it is the responsibility of the State, not the relatives of those arrested, to provide food to detainees.
He filed the case in January this year after 25 CCC members, who were arrested in Budiriro for holding an unsanctioned gathering, were denied food while in police custody. Chibaya was represented by Darlington Marange.
Source Newsday
