By Lance Guma
12 November 2009
The President of the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU), Lovemore Matombo, and four other unionists were set free on Thursday after a Victoria Falls magistrate threw out charges against them. The 5 were arrested on Sunday for holding consultative meetings with workers in the town. Police, acting on instructions from Mugabe’s regime, claimed the leaders had violated the Public Order and Security Act (POSA) by holding the meetings without police permission. The magistrate however ruled that trade unions were exempt from seeking police authority for their meetings.
After being arrested, Matombo, Michael Kandukutu, Percy Mncijo, Dumisani Ncube and Nhawu Ndlovu were detained overnight at Victoria Falls police station. They were later transferred to Hwange and kept there until their court appearance. The state continued to frustrate them and prolong their detention by applying for further remand on Tuesday. The arrests prompted international condemnation from trade unions worldwide. On Wednesday the Australian Council of Trade Unions, which represents 2 million workers, added its voice in condemning the arrests.
Meanwhile the state continues to oppose an application for a refusal of further remand put in by lawyers representing tortured MDC Transport Manager Pascal Gwezere. Two weeks ago state security agents abducted Gwezere from his home. His whereabouts were unknown for several days until he was finally taken to court and charged with breaking into a military armoury and undergoing military training in Uganda. Gwezere was severely tortured after his abduction and was refused medical treatment until last Friday, when a magistrate ordered he be treated.
On Wednesday the state prosecutor Michael Mugabe (Robert Mugabe’s nephew) opposed the defence application for a refusal of further remand, saying they had laid enough facts before the court to warrant remanding him further. His lawyer, Alec Muchadehama, however said; ‘The court must take a practical view of the case. Could a man from the street go to Pomona Barracks and steal arms? The State must put its house in order, they must investigate if there is anything to investigate’. Magistrate Archie Wochiunga will make a ruling on the application on Monday next week.
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