MDC election chief out on bail

By Tichaona Sibanda
31 May 2007

The MDC’s director of elections Ian Makone will be back in court on Friday for a remand hearing, two days after he was released from political detention facing charges of allegedly recruiting and training insurgents and terrorists.

Makone was granted bail Wednesday by High Court Judge Tedious Karwi who lavished praise on him before releasing him on Z$150 million bail. Judge Karwi told the court he was granting Makone bail despite police protestations, because he was a man with no previous convictions who had a long history of being socially and economically responsible.

The Judge said; ‘He is well educated as he holds two university degrees and was the first black general manager of the GMB (Grain Marketing Board). He has over the years held both managerial and directorship positions in many blue chip companies in the country. In considering this application I have taken into account the personal circumstances of the applicant. In particular, that he is aged 57 years old, that he is a married man with fixed abode, that he is a man of substance and that he has invested very heavily in this country. He appears to have his roots in this country.’

The MDC election strategist told Newsreel he was relieved to be out of custody but remained sad because his co-accused were still locked up in prison.

‘Their spirits are very high and you will never get a bunch of individuals who are as strong as they are. We suffered a lot during the first few weeks because we were beaten so bad that others ended up in hospital,’ Makone said.

He was full of praise for the prison officials whom he described as professionals despite the conditions they work under. He deplored the living conditions in the remand cells saying it’s overcrowded and housing twice the number of inmates than legally prescribed. Makone dubbed ‘the most dangerous man’ in the country by the police said he is eager to prove his innocence in court.

‘We are being denied justice by the slow process of the investigation. Although I’am out of custody the case is still far from over. The police have no case against us, there have nothing linking us to the alleged petrol bombings,’ he said.

After two months and three days in detention Makone is relishing the day he will be put on trial. He and the 27 other activists who are still in custody deny all charges levelled against them.

‘I can’t wait for my day in court. It’s frustrating spending so much time in police cells knowing you are innocent. The fact that we know we are not guilty spurred us on as a group and we remain resolute that we will one day be set free,’ Makone said.