The High Court in Zimbabwe has ruled in favour of the Choto Family for the unlawful shooting of Kelvin Tinashe Choto in 2019 during a protest, Courtroom Mail reports. Justice Mushore on Wednesday ordered the following to be paid to the family of the deceased.
(i) ZWL $ 2,016,000 loss of support for minor child Anenyasha Janelle Choto
(ii) ZWL $ 2,016,000 loss of support for Widow Varaidzo Chiyanike
(iii) ZWL $168,000 nervous shock and trauma for Varaidzo Chiyanike
(iv) ZWL $168,000 nervous shock and trauma for the father Julius Choto
(v) Interest on the total sum of $4,638,000
(vi) Costs of suit
The case was instituted by the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) through their counsel Fiona Iliff on behalf of Varaidzo Chiyanike the wife of the deceased who sued in her personal capacity and as the Custodian and Guardian to the Children of the deceased; and Julius Choto the second Plaintiff who is the father of the deceased.
The defendants were The Commissioner of Police, The Minister of Home Affairs and Cultural heritage and Constable Rachid Siri.
In the amended summons seen by Courtroom Mail with case number HC/6409/19, the Plaintiff’s claim arose from the unlawful killing of her husband Kelvin Tinashe Choto who was shot in the head by a uniformed Police officer identified as the 3rd defendant on the 14th of January 2019 acting under the authority of the 1st and 2nd Defendants.
Prior to his death, the deceased was a successful football player with Chitungwiza football club earning $250 a month (21,000 Zimbabwean Dollars) and has just been invited to attend trials at Bloemfontein Celtics football club in South Africa.
Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) is a not for profit human rights organization whose core objective is to foster a culture of human rights in Zimbabwe as well as encourage the growth and strengthening of human rights at all levels of Zimbabwean society through observance of the rule of law. ZLHR holds observer status with the African Commission on Human and People’s Rights (ACHPR), provides secretarial services to the Human Rights Committee of the SADC Lawyers Association and has affiliate status with the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ).
