Chibhebhe out of hospital but expected to appear in court soon

By Tichaona Sibanda
26 September 2006

Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions secretary-general Wellington Chibhebhe is now recuperating at home after being released from hospital over the weekend.

Chibhebhe was in a Harare hospital recovering from multiple injuries suffered when he and 12 other ZCTU officials were tortured while in police detention in the capital. Two other ZCTU officials, Moses Ngondo and James Gumbi, were also released from hospital over the weekend.

The ZCTU secretary-general had his initial bail hearing held at his hospital bedside. He is out of custody on police bail and is expected to appear in court on October 3rd to answer charges of organising an illegal gathering.

Chibhebhe and the two other officials were part of a group that was arrested two weeks ago after staging a peaceful protest in Harare calling for decent wages, action on the country’s 1,200 percent inflation rate and better access to life-saving anti-viral drugs for AIDS sufferers.

Acting secretary-general of the ZCTU Japhet Moyo said all the ZCTU members out on bail are still having to report to the police every Friday of each week as part of their bail conditions.

Moyo also described as ‘pure madness’ government’s refusal to allow a delegation from the American labour union entry into Zimbabwe last week Friday. The ZCTU has been informed that the group, from the American Centre for International Solidarity in the AFL-CIO union federation, is back in the United States following their deportation last week.

‘It was an unfortunate situation. Its pure madness on the part of government to tarnish it’s image in that manner. If the government wasn’t hiding anything, why would they refuse people to come and visit other workers,’ asked Moyo.