Magistrate refers Mukoko case to Supreme Court

Violet Gonda
16 January 2008

Harare Magistrate, Archie Wochiwonga, delivered a ruling on Friday saying the case involving some political detainees, including civic leader and former broadcaster Jestina Mukoko, should be referred to the Supreme Court to determine whether their rights had been violated.

Lawyers representing Mukoko and the others, all accused of crimes relating to acts of terrorism against the Mugabe regime, made an urgent application in the magistrates’ court seeking a referral to the Supreme Court on this rights violation basis.

The group of about six were remanded in custody to January 30th.

Lawyer Andrew Makoni said that another group, including the MDC’s Director of Security Chris Dhlamini, were denied bail in the High Court also on Friday, by Justice Karwi. They face charges of bombing trains and police stations. Makoni said although the Judge expressed shock at the torture described by the individuals he said they were not proper candidates for bail as the charges were a serious matter. He however ordered that the political detainees be taken to a private clinic for urgent treatment.

For the first time since her illegal abduction in early December Mukoko testified in court on Thursday that she had been tortured by state security agents. The former broadcaster is one of scores of political and civic activists who have made sworn statements saying they were tortured into making confessions of participating in alleged plots to remove the Mugabe regime from power.

Many of the victims had been missing for several weeks before they were finally found in prisons around Harare just before Christmas.

11 activists were still missing with the State denying knowledge of their whereabouts. But on Thursday, during a court hearing with the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights seeking the production of the missing persons, the state admitted three were being held as witnesses in the alleged coup plots.

Meanwhile the state media reports that more people have been charged in connection with the terrorism threats. On Friday the Herald said: “Three businessmen and former members of the Rhodesian forces have appeared in court for allegedly recruiting MDC youths for banditry training at their plots in Goromonzi.”

The state mouth piece said John Naested, who is a major shareholder for Tiles for Africa, Bryan Michael Baxter and Angus John Thompson, owners of Bax Investments and Angus J. Thompson (Private) Limited respectively, were remanded to January 22.

We reported last week the three ran a well known outdoor adventure camp called Kudu Creek. They were initially arrested on January 2nd after a military style raid on the camp premises. The camp, which has been in operation for more than five years in Ruwa, offers adventure training for Boy Scouts, tourists and others interested in learning the art of outdoor living.