The Human Rights Forum wishes to make public the following events that have recently occurred. Mr Elliot Pfebve is a victim of organised violence and torture, and one of the complainants in the civil suit mounted against Mr Robert Mugabe in a New York court.
Mr Pfebve’s offices at 95 Robert Mugabe Way in Harare were broken into on Monday 27th August 2001 . The entrance has an iron screen and, double glass doors and a wooden door. The burglars cut the lock to the screen, broke the glass doors and forced entry into the office. They ransacked the offices. Only two notebooks were missing. This gave the impression that the burglars were not common thieves but people who were looking for certain documents. Mr Pfebve reported this burglary at Harare Central Police Station. The female police officer who received the reported asked CID to take fingerprints from the doors but nothing was done.
On Friday 21st August 2001 Mr. Pfebve’s car was broken into while it was parked outside his flat. One of its windows was broken and the radio was missing. Papers were strewn all over the floor. Mr. Pfebve reported this theft at Harare Central Police Station.
On 3rd September Mr. Pfebve went to his office in the morning and found his doors open. Nothing was broken. Only a cash box with $7000 was missing. Again papers were scattered on the floor. This incident was also reported at Harare Central Police Station.
On the same day Mr. Pfebve received a phone call from a male person who refused to identify himself. The man said he was aware the Mr. Pfebve was having problems and that the break-ins were not the work of common thieves. He said that they were responsible for the break-ins and that they were looking for the documents relating to the US lawsuit against the president. The man advised Mr. Pfebve to surrender the documents so that he does not get harmed and hung up. echo
On 4th September Mr. Pfebve left his house at around 9pm . He wanted to arrange security for his office. His wife, maid and one year old daughter saw him out. While they were going back into their house, Mr. Pvebve’s wife, daughter and maid were threatened with a knife by certain men and forced into a 4×4, Mazda double cab motor vehicle. There were two men in front. Two other men sat with Mrs. Pfebve, their one year old daughter and their maid in the back.
They drove along enterprise road until they got to Shamva turn-off. There the car made a U turn and dropped them off at Newlands Shopping Centre. Whilst they were driving Mrs. Pfebve was asked about the US lawsuit documents. Before they were dropped off Mrs. Pfebve was told that they would not be harmed but she would be picked up again next time. By that time she should have sufficient information about the lawsuit if she does not want to be harmed. Neither Mrs. Pfebve nor her maid was able to take down the registration numbers of the motor vehicles. She can identify the kidnappers. This was reported to Harare Central Police Station.