ZCTU leaders appear in court after high court grants medical attention

By Tererai Karimakwenda and Violet Gonda
15 September 2006

A group of 31 officials and activists from The Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) who were arrested in Harare Wednesday as they were gathering for a planned mass protest were finally brought to court Friday afternoon and released on bail. Freelance journalist Gift Phiri told us ZCTU members who had gone to Rotten Row court to support their leaders were violently dispersed by the police. Supporters were also blocked from entering the court house. 4 people including 2 journalists were arrested. Phiri said one of the journalists was from the South Africa Broadcasting Corporation. The Secretary general of the ZCTU Wellington Chibhebe was not in court Friday due to the severity of his injuries. He finally appeared in court and was remanded out of custody Saturday morning

The labour officials were seen by a doctor late Thursday after lawyers applied to the High Court for permission. The police, who are being accused of severely assaulting and torturing them, had refused to take them to the hospital even though many have serious injuries. They were returned back to police cells at Harare Central to join the other 19 activists despite doctors’ advice.

Their lawyer Alex Muchadehama confirmed that they were being charged under section 37 of the criminal code, which prohibits participating in any activity likely to breach the peace. They appeared in court Friday afternoon and were released on bail. It was feared the police would detain them longer and delay their court appearance in order to hide the injuries that would incriminate police and further taint the ruling party’s deplorable human rights record .

The group that was tortured includes ZCTU President Lovemore Matombo, Secretary General Wellington Chibebe and First Vice-President Lucia Matibenga, who is also the MDC women’s assembly chairperson. A ZCTU report said the beatings were so severe that Matombo and Chibebe could not stand and their clothes were soaked in blood. Matibenga was reported to have swollen feet and could not walk. She is also experiencing difficulty breathing and was bleeding from the ears. Chibebe is reported to have a "crack" in his head and Matombo had both his arms fractured.

MDC secretary general Tendai Biti said the several national executive members of the party, including Grace Kwinje, Kerry Kay and Ian Makoni, were at Harare Central police station. He said many of them had been brutalised by the police and he was shocked at the injuries they received. Biti described Makoni’s face as “puffed up” adding that his buttocks were blue and he had “a big gash” on his right leg. Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe President Raymond Majongwe and journalist Mike Sabure are also in police custody. We have no details of their situation.