BULAWAYO – A witness who gave evidence to the Motlanthe Commission, which is probing an August 1 army massacre in Harare, was arrested moments after his testimony last Friday and assaulted in police custody, his lawyer said.

Siphamandla Mafu, an activist from the Mthwakazi Republic Party (MRP), was treated for his injuries at the United Bulawayo Hospital.

Mafu’s lawyer, Tanaka Muganyi from Abammeli, asked a court on Saturday to order an investigation into the assault in police custody.

“He was heavily assaulted by police officers during his arrest. He was eventually taken to UBH on Friday night for treatment. Such police behaviour should be investigated. I pray that an order for investigations will be granted by this court,” said Muganyi.

Mafu was charged with “undermining the authority of the President” after he accused Emmerson Mnangagwa of killing his parents during Gukurahundi in the 1980s.

Investigating officer, Canaan Mukiki, opposed bail stating that Mafu had other pending cases.

Mukiki also told the court that Mafu, with the help of other activists, also resisted arrest.

Bulawayo magistrate, Rachel Mukanga, postponed Mafu’s bail hearing to October 29.

Mukanga granted $150 bail each to three other people were arrested in skirmishes that broke out during the commission hearing – Marshal Sibiya, Welcome Moyo and Venat Ncube.

Sibiya, Moyo and Ncube are facing charges of disrupting a public gathering, as defined in Section 36 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act.

“On October 26, at Rainbow Hotel, the accused acting in consent, unlawfully and forcibly disturbed peace, security or order of the public to a serious extent assaulting Derrick Nkomo with fists and throwing chairs at him,” reads part of the state outline.

The seven-member commission, chaired by former South African President Kgalema Motlanthe, took its hearings out of Harare for the first time last Friday.

The commission at one point was forced to halt proceedings after physical fights broke out, and police were called to move in and restore calm.

The commission had moved to Gweru on Saturday.

At least six people were killed on August 1 when the army opened fire on opposition protesters demanding a prompt release of election results.