Another MDC official arrested in Mabvuku
By Tererai Karimakwenda
14 March 2006
The MDC information department released a statement late Tuesday afternoon announcing that police in Harare had arrested MDC Mabvuku MP Timothy Mubhawu. The party’s Secretary for Information and MP Nelson Chamisa said the arrest was another attempt by the Mugabe regime to derail the MDC Congress. Mubhawu was detained without any charge after he reported to the Law and Order Section at Harare Central police station as ordered. No other information had been provided to lawyers or the MDC by the end of the day Tuesday.
Meanwhile 6 of the 8 men accused of plotting to kill Mugabe the day of his birthday bash in February appeared in a Mutare Magistrates Court Tuesday to hear 2 urgent applications that had been filed last week. Lawyer Tafadzwa Mugabe told us one was an urgent chamber application claiming unlawful arrest and detention because his clients had been held longer than the 48 hours allowed by law without being formally charged. The other was for the police to return personal property they had confiscated illegally when they searched the homes of the suspects.
Peter Hitschmann, who the government is claiming is an ex Rhodesian soldier, MDC Mutare North MP Giles Mutsekwa, activists Knowledge Nyamhuka and Thando Sibanda, and 2 policemen, Wellington Tsuro and Edwin Chikutye are in custody facing charges in an alleged plot to kill Robert Mugabe 2 weeks ago. Justice Charles Hungwe granted MP Mutsekwa Z$50m bail but his lawyer said this was done deliberately after some court sections closed so Mutsekwa would spend another night in the cells. Mugabe added that Mutsekwa must report to the police every Friday, continue to reside at his current address and surrender his personal documents to the clerk of the Mutare court. The others will have a bail hearing Wednesday.
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