SW Radio Africa (London)
Tererai Karimakwenda
13 June 2008
After being kept in detention for about 2 weeks while the government delayed a bail appeal hearing, 12 of the 14 WOZA activists who were being detained at Chikurubi Maximum Prison finally faced the prospect of being released on Friday.
A male MOZA activist that was at Harare Remand Prison was also due for release on Friday after lawyers paid bail. Lawyer Gift Mpisi, who is representing the WOZA detainees, said he had posted Z$ 5 billion each for their release. A car was on the way to Chikurubi to pick them up late afternoon.
Mpisi said 10 of the 13 activists at Chikurubi were due to be released Friday. Coordinators Jenni Williams and Magodonga Mahlangu were denied bail Wednesday after the state claimed that they were likely to mobilise people to demonstrate on the streets and cause violence ahead of the runoff election. A WOZA activist who was using documents that had her maiden name instead of married name will also spend the weekend in detention awaiting clarification on Monday.
Mpisi said he had intended to file an urgent application in the Supreme Court for the release of the 2 WOZA coordinators. But he received a letter from the court clerk advising that he could not apply to the Supreme Court because the case had started in a magistrate's court. The lawyer immediately sensed these were further delay tactics by the state. He said that many cases that ended up in the Supreme Court had started in the magistrate's court.
Mahlangu is being charged with conducting activities that are likely to cause public disorder. Williams is facing charges of causing disaffection among the police and with distributing false information. The government crackdown on suspected opposition supporters has been brutal and it has claimed 66 lives so far. New tougher measures meant to keep activists in detention for longer periods were announced by government last weekend.
Now the concern is for the safety and welfare coordinators Williams and Mahlangu while they re in detention.
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