Lawyer threatened by Supreme Court

Posted by on Thursday, November 8, 2012 in Judiciary, Zimbabwe politics | 10 comments

Justice Godfrey Chidyausiku

By Alex Bell
08 November 2012

A human rights lawyer has been threatened by a Supreme Court judge this week, in what observers say is deliberate intimidation.

Charles Kwaramba from the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) was threatened with contempt of court charges by Justice Godfrey Chidyausiku. He is defending the 29 MDC-T members accused over the death of Glen View policeman Petros Mutedza last year.

The case has dragged on despite a lack of evidence implicating the arrested group, and repeated attempts to have them released on bail have failed. Kwaramba, who is one of the many respected ZLHR lawyers representing the arrested group, was questioned by the Daily News newspaper last month about the delays.

Kwaramba explained on Thursday that the newspaper incorrectly quoted him criticising High Court Judge Chinembiri Bhunu, which led him being called into chambers to explain. Kwaramba told SW Radio Africa on Thursday that he thought he had clarified the situation with Justice Bhunu during that “routine housekeeping talk.”

However, Bhunu then used the situation as part of his judgment in once again denying the MDC-T members bail, accusing Kwaramba of ‘contempt’.

“He said what I had done was close to being contentious… I eventually wrote to the Supreme Court for direction because I was not granted the opportunity to defend myself,” Kwaramba said.

But Chief Justice Chidyausiku responded to this letter by warning Kwaramba against “disrespecting” the courts. He added that Kwaramba should consider himself “lucky” for being spared from prosecution for contempt of court.

Observers have said that the case demonstrates not only the ongoing intimidation facing human rights defenders in Zimbabwe, but also the blatant partisan nature of the legal system.

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  • Khalid Sheikh Mohamed

    Contempt is the compromised bench keeping suspects remanded in custody for over a year. How many times has Bhunu, the prosecutor or witnesses taken turns to miss court hearing the MDC 29 bail application.

  • Contempt

    Pray how is possible to be in contempt of someone contemptible?

  • super mondo

    he must have a farm

  • Anonymous

    He added that Kwaramba should consider himself “lucky” for being spared from prosecution for contempt of court. This is meaningless, What about Chinembiri Bhunu who failed to appear on the grounds of his leg? What is so important his leg and 29 lives rotting in jail ?

  • Anonymous

    This Godfrey Chidyausiku was once a good justice but now he is feasting with ZANU(PF) members during the night. Chava Chidyausiku ne ZANU(PF) chaicho.

  • Yepec

    “The 29 MDC-T activists are under detention”, the case is closed. In the Bhunu-Kwarimba-Chidyausiku uproar, Zanu is creating a side show in order to take away people’s attention from the case. For a contrast, suspects are refused bail but actual murderes in the Shamva and Mudzi have already been released on bail. Furthermore, Chidyausiku like Bhunu got a case appealed in the High Court but had been ruled upon by the Supreme Court of Zimbabwe..

  • http://www.facebook.com/len.murozvi Len Murozvi

    ONE DAY WE WILL BE FREE

  • JS

    Godfrey Guwa Chidyausiku was born 1 March 1947. His ID no is 63-358146Z58.
    He lives at 2 Brentwood Avenue in Mount Pleasant Harare and was allocated Estes Park Farm in Mazowe (895 hectares). His wife is Mary (born 15 September 1950 ID no 63-633479Z25)

    • sdf

      Thanks the time is coming when this will be acted upon.

  • madovi madovi

    Bootlickers u may continue bootlicking there in UK or America,by the time u come and join us the owners of farms(whether productive or not 99 lease agreement
    iripo) Conservatives,mines all are ours.In SA apatheird is now 20years down and out but the White guys are the Economy Kings.Come yourt Tsvangirai isu ve Zanu tinenge tine mari dzedu veduwe,nemapuurazi .for your info Bootlickers Obert Mpofu now own Hwange,Victoria Falls,Mguza and half of Bulawayo.
    Thats wat we call Black Looting.Nkomo akafa kare asi nhasi THandi is getting rentals from all Tenants e- Renkin.Come back home and make money for your families not bootlicking some white man.