Top MDC official fighting for life in remand prison
By Tichaona Sibanda
1 June 2007

The MDC’s deputy national organising secretary Morgan Komichi, is battling for life in remand prison as authorities continue to block him from receiving specialist medical treatment.

Harare Magistrate Gloria Takundwa ordered Komichi to be taken straight back to a prison hospital when he appeared for a remand hearing on Friday. Komichi is one of several activists who were savagely tortured in police custody, according to Jessie Majome, the MDC’s deputy secretary for Legal Affairs.

Komichi was abducted from his home in Hwange, Matebeleland North six weeks ago and has a history of hypertension. He appeared together with the other 29 activists who have been in remand prison since 28th March, at the Harare Magistrates court on Friday. They were further remanded to Monday which means they continue to be held in jail.

‘His hypertension has reached alarming levels and we are all worried about it. His condition is life threatening and this was noticed by the magistrate who immediately granted an order that he be taken straight to the prison hospital,’ Majome said.

The magistrate also ordered the police to investigate the alleged torture of the political prisoners after some of them appeared in court with fresh wounds and bruises. Among those who were having difficulties walking were Philip Mabika, Shame Wakatama, Piniel Denga and Komichi.

On Thursday High Court Judge Ben Hlatshwayo postponed to June 6 the hearing of the bail application by the 30 activists. But the party’s director of elections Ian Makone was released on bail on Wednesday. Justice Hlatshwayo blocked attempts by state prosecutors to further delay the bail hearing by an additional two weeks. They had claimed that the police needed time to submit findings on their investigations in South Africa, where the MDC activists were allegedly were being trained as saboteurs. Their lawyer Alec Muchadehama told the court that the state was buying time at the expense of the freedom of his clients who are continuously being denied their freedom and ‘denied the benefit of being presumed innocent until proven guilty.’