5 May 2006, The High Court issued a court order demanding the release of two human rights lawyers, Alec Muchadehama and Andrew Makoni. The duo was arrested yesterday at 1625hours by members of the law and order section, from Harare central Police station.

The two lawyers are being held on allegations of presenting ‘false and misleading’ submissions in the case of one of their client Amos Musekiwa, who is facing charges of instigating a wave of petrol bombs which rocked the country targeting police stations since March 2007. Judge Tedious Karwe, in handing down his decision, argued that it is not in the jurisdiction of the police to decide the validity of legal submissions by lawyers, but the duty of the courts. He maintained that the courts are mandated with the interpretation of the law whilst the police are mandated with the enforcement of the law.

At the time of going to press, the legal representative of the two, Advocate Eric Matienga was on his way to serve the order to the police.