Chikafu case highlights intimidation of the judiciary

By Lance Guma
25 April 2007

A Mutare court on Tuesday ordered the release of former state prosecutor Levison Chikafu from police custody on Z$500 000 bail. Chikafu hit the headlines last year after pursuing two cabinet ministers in a case involving political violence. On Thursday last week the tables were turned on him by the vindictive Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa who allegedly engineered a set of corruption charges that led to his arrest. Chikafu spent 5 days in police cells with the state taking its time to bring him to court. On Monday authorities said he could not be brought to court because the investigating officer in the matter had gone to Harare with the paper work.

He finally made an appearance in court on Tuesday, during a late night hearing, which led to his release. The court ordered him to report to CID Law and Order once a week every Friday and that he should not visit the magistrates courts or interfere with state witnesses.

Pedzisai Ruhanya, a programmes manager with the Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition, told Newsreel the case highlights just how the Zanu PF regime is dealing with members of the judiciary. The same methods were employed against former Judges Justice Fergus Blackie, Benjamin Paradza and Michael Majuru, formerly President of the Administrative Court. Justice Blackie and Paradza were considered pro-opposition by the government. Justice Blackie for example was sent to prison for sentencing Chinamasa to a prison term for contempt of court. Majuru’s crime was to give a favourable decision to the banned Daily News newspaper in their application for a licence. All three judges were forced off the bench after criminal charges were cooked up against them.

Ruhanya says Chinamasa has the backing of the senior Zanu PF hierarchy who have urged him to crack the whip on members of the judiciary. He says other members of the judiciary will obviously look at Chikafu’s case and realise the risks they face in not towing the line. He added it was clear the victimisation of Chikafu had the backing of Home Affairs Minister Kembo Mohadi and State Security Minister Didymus Mutasa who benefited from Chinamasa’s interference during a trial in which he was implicated of directing violence against his opponents.