Justice Minister Defends Police "Unlawful" Refusal Of Passage To Commuters Without IDs

Justice Minister, Ziyambi Ziyambi has defended the stopping of commuter omnibuses, searching of people and denying passengers without Identity Cards entrance into the Central Business District.

The Justice Minister said that the roadblocks were justified particularly when national security was at stake. He said:

Where there are threats of disturbance of peace to members of society, the police will use any necessary means to ensure there is peace and order, including searching commuter omnibuses to see if there are people carrying dangerous weapons, and there is no need for the Home Affairs minister to bring a ministerial statement on the issue.

His remarks were a response to the call by opposition MDC legislator for Dzivarasekwa, Edwin Mushoriwa, for Home Affairs Minister to explain why police were violating the law by mounting roadblocks and refusing passage to commuters without identity cards.

Mushoriwa also observed that police actions were against the Police Act and the Constitution which provided that if a person failed to produce an ID, he or she could still produce it within seven days.

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