his arrest by the police, with his then known location being that of having been in their custody at Bulawayo Central Police Station. Several journalists were assaulted by unidentified men at a press conference convened by the Zimbabwe National Students Union on 18 September 2020, next to the Impala Car Rentals offices in Harare. The student union body had convened the media briefing following the arrest and release on bail of its president after he allegedly led protests demanding answers from the car rental company on the alleged role it played in the abduction of Muchehiwa. Some of the journalists who were assaulted included freelance journalist James Jemwa, senior journalist Godwin Mangudya, Thomas Madhuku of 263Chat, Munashe Chokodza, Bernard Mpofu and Rumbidzai Chizarura. Jemwa sustained injuries on his forehead and wrist while his camera and mobile phone were confiscated by the assailants. Chizarura also sustained serious injuries. Mangudya’s recorder was also damaged. Freelance journalist, Terence Sipuma, was reportedly assaulted by members of the army and the police at the Kuwadzana roundabout in Harare while on his way to Chegutu to report on the COVID-19 lockdown. Munashe Chokodza and Leopold Munhende, journalists with 263Chat and NewZimbabwe.com, respectively, were reportedly assaulted with military whips by soldiers at Warren Park shopping centre in Harare while returning home from work. When the journalists dropped off at the shopping centre, the army was apparently dispersing people from the shopping centre. They stopped the two and questioned them as to why they were not observing the lockdown regulations. Both Munhende and Chokodza produced their press cards and explained that they were coming from work, as they were part of the essential services workers. The soldiers apparently remarked: “You journalists think you are special in this country”, before ordering them to roll on the ground and assaulting them. They both sustained injuries in the process. In all these cases, the perpetrators, as has been the case over the years, have never been brought to account. 11