SW Radio Africa (London)
Lance Guma
8 January 2008
With an increasingly laughable judicial system conniving to illegally detain abducted activists, defence lawyers and rights groups are using name and shame tactics to apply pressure for their release. This week lawyer Alec Muchadehama, who is representing 7 MDC activists charged with plotting to overthrow Mugabe's regime, named several state agents who abducted his clients. Identified mostly by their last names the abductors include a Maganga, Marasike Chitate alias Chigure, Mhlanga, and Ndambakuwa from the Central Intelligence Organisation.
According to a Zimonline article, those drawn from the police force were a police Superintendent Tendere, Chief Superintendent Chrispen Makedenge, Detective Muuya, Detective Inspector Elliot Muchada, Chief Superintendent Magwenzi, Detective Assistant Inspector Namupachira, Detective Inspector Mpofu and another police officer identified only as Chitambo. One officer from the military intelligence directorate identified as Matambanadzo, alias Aunty Daisy, was also implicated in the abductions.
State security minister Didymus Mutasa admitted in court papers that he sanctioned the abductions. When defence lawyers argued that their clients were illegally kidnapped and the perpetrators needed to be brought to court, Mutasa refused to disclose their identities claiming it was a sensitive national security matter. Muchadehama has promised to disclose more names of people implicated in the abductions and added that some of them actually stole cellphones, fuel coupons and foreign currency belonging to his clients and these have yet to be recovered.
Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights meanwhile is compiling daily updates showing the timeline of events and exposing how judges and state prosecutors alike are conniving to prolong the illegal detentions. This week lawyers sought to have Michael Mugabe, a law officer in the Attorney General's Office, recuse himself from the case involving Harrison Nkomo. Mugabe is a complainant in a separate case that involves Nkomo and this they say posed the risk of conflict of interest. The magistrate ignored the obvious facts and dismissed the application saying it should have been made at the beginning of the case.
Another example highlighted is how lawyers between the 26th and 27th December last year went to various police stations in attempts to access their clients. They were told that a directive had been issued that abductees were not allowed any food or visits whatsoever from lawyers or relatives. In an earlier example the police refused to comply with the High Court issued by Justice Yunus Omerjee, to urgently take the activists to the Avenues Clinic, and for them to release activists Pascal Gonzo and Tawanda Bvumo.
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Grandiose lawyerly grandstanding, that is all this is about; ain't got nothing to do with the enthusiastic, flowery characterizations of MDC machine of lies: SW Spin Radio for Europe.
When did lawyer bravado become the law? Judges pronounce the law, not lawyers.
Defendants are arrested, not abducted, Mr. Blackstone.
Committee on the Integrity of Legal Language in the City of Erudition, Harare.
When the time comes Jabba, ya better lawyer girl,and ya better get a good one.But that would be like looking for a brain cell in a Zanu political rally.
When the time comes Jabba, ya better lawyer girl,and ya better get a good one.But that would be like looking for a brain cell in a Zanu political rally.
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There we go again... making up words... "Soupist" aaaah doesn't exist!
Obviously ukaita chimbwasungata chema British & Americans you will get what you deserve, my dear this is Zimbabwe and not your imagined piece of land.If you are a conspirator of those guys; tough luck, we will not go back ...... to before 1980.....to before 2000....2005.... will always move foward and positively...
Icho, I dont think anyone wants to see Zimbabwe go back to before 1980 or even 2000, or 2005. Land ownership in Zimbabwe should belong to Zimbabweans, and nobody has a problem with that. Anyone that tells you otherwise is fearmongering and you should question their motives.
And heres an idea. How about you move forward and start to get rid of the corruption in your government. 14th most corrupt government in the world, and the reason why no one wants to invest and donate, as people know that their investments will only end up in the back pockets of… [Read Full Text]
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Zimbabweans should take note of the bandits who cause pain and suffering to Zimbabweans in the name of protecting the country from pseudo conspiracies. Nyaya hadzirove vana kazi. Forget that Zimbabweans will never accept you, this is a clear example of excesses; those people you make suffer are as good as yourselves your brothers, sisters, fathers or mothers. Don’t think of yourselves only those people have the right to exist vanhu vakaberekwa semi. What sort of culture does Zanu PF want to leave behind? Does Zanu want to leave a culture of lying, abusing and cruelty? Hamunyare makaita seyiko?