HARARE – Nineteen police recruits have been arrested after they went on the rampage in the Harare CBD on Friday evening indiscriminately beating up innocent civilians without provocation.

The 19 were taken to the Harare Magistrates Court on Saturday but their matter could not be heard after prosecutors asked for more information from investigators.

In a statement Saturday, police spokesman Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed the arrest of the trainee cops.

“The Zimbabwe Republic Police confirms that investigations are currently underway in connection with the unruly conduct exhibited by some police recruits in Harare Central Business District on 18th August 2023 between 6.30PM and 7.30PM,” Nyathi said.

“Nineteen (19) police recruits have been arrested and will face the due processes of the law.”

On Friday, vendors who normally throng the CBD to benefit from brisk peak hour sales were forced to vacate the area in fear.

Likewise, business operators who normally operate into the late hours of the evening were also forced to close shop earlier than usual when the recruits ran amok.

The widely condemned incident brought renewed fear among locals who have seen the worst of the country’s brutality by security forces in past years.

Nyathi said the attacks were not sanctioned by the police command.

“The Commissioner-General of Police does not condone violent behaviour by any police officer and assures the public of the professionalism of police officers as they interact with the people of Zimbabwe and visitors.

“More details on the incident will be released in due course,” Nyathi said.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa, under fire for visiting forms of brutality on political opponents and critics, is keen to re-project his leadership as peaceful as the entire world focuses attention on how the chief beneficiary of a 2017 military coup runs the country’s crucial poll.

His controversial victory in the last election 2018 was marred by acts of brutality against civilians in what saw the gunning down of six civilians and the injury of dozens as the army was deployed to quell protests torched by a ZEC delay in announcing election results.

Meanwhile, the Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum, a coalition of 22 human rights NGOs, condemned the unprovoked attacks Friday, describing them as an attempt to intimidate voters ahead of Wednesday’s elections.

“The Forum condemns the unprovoked attack on civilians by the police during the night of 18 August in Harare’s CBD.

“The attack, coming ahead 5 days before elections, has the potential of intimidating voters.

“We call for a thorough investigation into the incident,” said the Forum in a statement.