Faith Ndou
MASVINGO CITY-The lawyer representing the female vendor whose video went viral after a nasty confrontation with the police has challenged the way she was arrested and charged.
This came out during the ongoing trial last Friday where former City of Masvingo Mayor and human rights lawyer, Collen Maboke questioned the manner in which the police handled the matter of Gladys Madhlakame whom he is representing.
The matter was heard before Magistrate Arafat Kozanayi in a case involving a 41 year old vendor, Madhlakame who was charged with indecent exposure following an attempted arrest for illegal vending in the CBD.
The court heard that on 13 January 2026, police officers attempted to arrest Madhlakame for allegedly violating municipal by laws after trying to confiscate her bucket of tomatoes.
She reportedly resisted the arrest and a scuffle ensured between her and the police officer resulting in her being half naked in public.
A video was recorded by a citizen journalist showing what happened and it went viral.
The court was further that the following day on 14 January, police detained Madhlakame at Masvingo Central Police Station together with her two year old child for about 30minutes before releasing her without a charge. During her detention, officers allegedly confiscated her vending wares.
The court was told that later on the same day, Madhlakame was instructed to come and collect her tomatoes. However, upon her arrival, she was arrested.
On 15 January, Madhlakame appeared in court and was formally charged with indecent exposure. She was reportedly asked to pay a US$30 fine which she offered but police allegedly refused to accept it, resulting in the matter being brought before the court on the 23rd of January 2026.
Testifying for the state, Constable Farai Chikunga told the court that he was part of a team enforcing municipal by laws when they attempted to arrest the accused.
He alleged that Madhlakame resisted arrest by lifting her skirt and removing her undergarments and he said he managed to see the woman’s buttocks.
However, under cross examination, Constable Chikunga admitted that the accused was not arrested on 13 or 14 January but only on 15 January, after the video of the incident went viral.
He further conceded that the decision to arrest Madhlakame on 15 January was influenced by an attempt to manage public opinion following angry reactions from the public.
Maboke asked the officer which local authority by law he was enforcing, to which he admitted that he did not know.
Under further cross examination, Constable Chikunga admitted that he did not follow arresting procedures as outlined in the Constitution and the Criminal Procedure and Evidence Act.
Maboke argued that the intended arrest was unlawful and that any events which followed were a direct violation of the accused’s constitutional rights.
Maboke further submitted that if the accused had been violent, police should have enlisted the assistance of a female police officer to effect the arrest, given the nature of the allegations.
Constable Chikunga conceded before the court that he had made a mistake by failing to involve a female officer and admitted that the accused’s rights had been violated.
The matter was postponed to 3 February 2026 for continuation of trial.
Taurai Muvengi stood in for the state.
