Glen View murder trial to resume next week

by Alex Bell on February 7, 2013

Murdered police inspector Petros Mutedza

By Alex Bell
07 February 2013

The Glen View murder trial that has sucked in 29 MDC-T members and activists, is set to resume next week, with the courts being urged to finally bring the matter to an end.

The case stems from the May 2011 death of Glen View policeman Petros Mutedza who, the state claims, was murdered by the MDC-T members when he ‘raided’ one of their gatherings.

But the 29, as well as other witnesses, have stated that Mutedza was the victim of a bar brawl and lawyers representing the accused have argued that there is not enough evidence to implicate their clients. The late Mutedza’s family has also testified on behalf of the 29, insisting the police officer was a victim of a political plot by ZANU PF.

Regardless of this, the case has limped forward for almost two years. 24 of the accused were only released from remand prison more than a year after the original arrests started in May 2011. Five individuals still remain detained.

The five are Last Maengahama, Tungamirai Madozkere, Rebecca Mafikeni, Yvonne Musarurwa and Simon Mapanzure.

Among the 29 accused is the head of the MDC-T Youth Assembly, Solomon Madzore, who spent more than a year locked up. He was released on bail late last year.

The Youth Assembly’s Promise Mkwananzi told SW Radio Africa on Thursday that they hope to see justice prevail.

“The judiciary has been exposed as weak and slow in delivering justice. We still firmly believe that this is a case of misfortune where people are being persecuted for political means,” Mkwananzi said.

He added: “We want to see the unconditional release of the five still detained and for the real perpetrators of this crime to be brought to book, not just for the sake of the accused, but also for the victim’s family.”

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  • Anonymous

    There is no case to answer here.

    • super mondo

      yes there is a case to answer.wrongful arrest and hostage taking also unlawful imprisonment by corrupt judges.

  • Yepec

    Not only is the Police and the Judiciary compromised but the Prosecution as well as the Court system. Should the activists be found innocent of the crime or freed from their current jail conditions, they would have spent more than 24 months in a maximum prison for a crime they did not commit and that is persecution for one’s political beliefs. Furthermore, not only is it political persecution but a warning to others of different political beliefs. Should they, also, be known, they will rot in a maximum prison without recourse, the same punishment as the “MDC -T, Glen View 29″ – it is called intimidation

    • super mondo

      its called political kidnaping