Beatrice Mtetwa & four MDC officials denied bail

Posted by on Tuesday, March 19, 2013 in Judiciary, Zimbabwe politics | 8 comments

By Violet Gonda
19 March 2013

Prominent defence lawyer Beatrice Mtetwa was denied bail by a Harare magistrate on Tuesday, following her arrest on Sunday.

Mtetwa made her first court appearance after police ignored a High Court order early Monday ordering her release.

Defence lawyer Dzimbabwe Chimbga said: “Initially we had put before the magistrate the issue of the unlawful detention and the order which we got from the High Court, which said she should be released immediately, but the magistrate said we must proceed to apply for bail because that issue of the High Court relates to the police, not her.

“So we applied for bail and surprisingly the state said it was not ready to respond and they applied for that matter to be rolled over to tomorrow.”

Scores of people, mainly from civil society and the legal fraternity, went to the magistrates’ court to express their solidarity with Mtetwa, a fearless human rights advocate.

The crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition said there was no sitting or standing room in the courtroom due to the large numbers of people who attended.

Over the years Beatrice has represented many human rights and political activists and on Sunday she was arrested and charged with obstructing the course of justice for attending to her client, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai’s chief legal adviser, Thabani Mpofu.

Police had raided Mpofu’s home around 6am on Sunday, allegedly searching for ‘subversive material’. The MDC official and three others are being accused of ‘impersonating’ police officers.

The police accuse Mtetwa of insulting and shouting at officers during the arrest of her clients, but Chimbga said the police insist that the obstruction of justice emanated from the fact that she “vigorously tried to assert the rights of her clients by demanding that a search warrant be shown to them.”

He added: “Obviously from our view that is a constitutional right of a lawyer, and in our view the charges are frivolous and vexatious and nothing has changed today because the police have not put before the courts any more evidence to sustain their charge.”

There are suggestions that the police are after Mpofu and his three co-accused because they were compiling a dossier that would reveal massive corruption by some senior government officials.

The lawyer said the case of Mpofu and others has also been rolled over to Wednesday.

Chimbga said: “Again the State stated it was not ready to respond.”

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  • Chimbwidos Warvets

    Panenyaya apa. Iye munhu kana apara mhosva yake anongofanirwa kutongwa opiwa murongo wake. Hapana zvekuti uyu ndigweta guru guru iye achiregera kutevedzera mitemo yenyika.

    You see, these guys already see themselves governing the country even before Tsvangirai has won the election. They have the euphoria for having already won an election and are leading the country and hence behaving in stupid and foolish ways. These guys should realise that R.G. Mugabe is still the legitimate head of State and Government and the laws that were promulgated when his government is in power are still in force and as such, have to be followed to the letter. It is only when Morgan Tsvangirai is voted into power that laws may be changed but as of now people should just be sensible and do the right thing. Beatrice Mtetwa of all lawyers of the country, should know this unless she is that stupid and foolish enough. The law enforcement agencies of the country will not let her do as she pleases. If she violates the laws of the land at will as what appears to be the case here, she has to face the music. Peace loving people of this country have nothing to fear.

    • dumbu

      shut-up you Chimbwiroooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

      • Chimbwidos Warvets

        Zvataurwa hazvigoni kuchinjika nekuti zvatotaurwa blazo. Kana iwe ukaputsa mitemo yenyika tinotandana newe blazo. Kana irodumbu raka rakazara neuzanguku rinoserera nekumhanya nekuti hamuna chaminacho blazo. Nyika yacho hamufimakatonga, zvinochamunofira chii?

        • Mzansi

          I understand you Mr /Ms Warvet u appear to have a sobering voice. But this is honestly a small crime that could need a ticket or summons. If you are rude to traffic police on the road its sufficient to be cautioned. Remember we have seen murders especially during the Gukura where people have been forgiven. Will MDC also forgive murders even done by their own kind?

          • Chimbwidos Warvets

            Your viewpoint is appreciated, but this so-called high profile lawyer committed a serious crime by obstructing the police when carrying out their duty. There is nowhere in the civilised world this behaviour by a lawyer who should know the laws of the country can be permitted. I have no sympathy for a lawyer who should be a role model in our country but who goes on to commit a crime with impunity or at will. She should dance to her music.

          • david taylor

            Mtetwa had every right to confront the police. The police had no (repeat, no) search warrant. And as the legal representative of those who were detained, she had every right to demand a search warrant.

            .

          • Chimbwido Warvet

            These are all blue lies. From the information that I have acquired, the police had all the tools needed to use in discharging their responsibilities. It is wrong for you and everybody else to tell lies simply because you want to promote a political party (MDC) whose standing amongst the people of Zimbabwe is in ruins. You should never fool us because we are aware that the police can get a search warrant any time they want it to enable them carry out their duties. Our courts are not at war with the police and as such can provide the search warrants each time a request is made by the police. There is no doubt about that. Zviripachena kunge kushure kwembudzi blazo.

        • dumbu

          Tinoda kuona kunowira tsvimbo nedohwe iweeeeee Chimbwidorumeeeeeeeeee Wardestructor.