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Freeman Razemba Crime Reporter
THE Zimbabwe National Army has denied recent allegations by Patson Dzamara that the Military Intelligence is behind the disappearance of his brother, journalist-cum-opposition activist, Itai Dzamara.

In a statement, director of army public relations Lieutenant Colonel Alphios Makotore said the claims by Patson were false.

“The Zimbabwe National Army totally denies any involvement in the disappearance of Itai Dzamara. The claims by Itai Dzamara’s brother are totally false and a figment of his own imagination.

“The Army Intelligence does not take orders from any political party. Patson’s claims are just meant to seek media attention and mislead members of the public,” he said.

This comes after Patson released a picture, purportedly of Itai in detention, claiming that “incontestable evidence” proved that he was taken by the Military Intelligence.

Patson made the claims on Monday during a media conference held in the city.

In July last year, police offered a reward of $10 000 to anyone with information on the whereabouts of Itai as investigations into his disappearance intensified.

Itai went missing on March 9 last year in Glen View 7, Harare.

Police had been submitting fortnightly updates on investigations into his disappearance to the High Court and working closely with human rights lawyers, in compliance with a court order issued in March last year. According to police, Itai was allegedly abducted by three male adults who entered the barbershop where he had gone to have a haircut and advised him that he was under arrest for stock theft.

The barbershop is owned by one Wellington Deketeke.

Some opposition parties have been trying to profit from the alleged disappearance in the hope of triggering what it called a Zimbabwe “Arab Spring”, to unconstitutionally unseat the Zanu-PF Government.

The Arab Spring refers to the wave of demonstrations and protests, riots, and Western-sponsored wars in the Arab world that began on December 18, 2010 in Tunisia after the self-immolation of a vendor, Mohamed Bouzizi, culminating in the overthrow of president Zine El Abidine Ben Ali.