The Herald (Harare) Published by the government of Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe: Mukoko Loses Again

Harare — THE High Court yesterday threw out an application for the release of Zimbabwe Peace Project director Jestina Mukoko, who is accused of recruiting people for banditry training to overthrow the Government.

The court also agreed with a ministerial certificate barring the disclosure of the identities of State security agents who arrested Mukoko and her co-accused.

Briefing journalists after the judgment yesterday, the Director of Public Prosecutions (Criminal Division) in the Attorney-General's Office, Mrs Florence Ziyambi -- who was being assisted by chief law officer Mrs Virginia Mabhiza -- said the court had found the application for Mukoko's release to be "incompetent".

She said Justice Alfas Chitakunye upheld the earlier court ruling that Mukoko should attend remand proceedings at the magistrates' court.

"The court dismissed the issue of Mukoko seeking release as incompetent because the same court had already ruled that she should be remanded.

"Proceedings continue at Rotten Row Court and she was ordered to appear in the magistrates' court on her next remand date on Monday," said Mrs Ziyambi.

According to Mrs Ziyambi, though the High Court refused to release Mukoko, it ruled that she only be booked out of prison for medical examination and treatment under prison guard whenever necessary.

The court dismissed the application for disclosure of the State security agents who were holding on to Mukoko on the strength of a ministerial certificate that was earlier tendered before the court by the State during the hearing.

It was said that the disclosure of the identity of the agents, as State Security Minister Cde Didymus Mutasa had indicated in the certificate, would compromise national security.


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Comments 1 to 5 of 10 Post a comment

  • Makasa
    Jan 4 2009, 15:20

    Again Mugabe scares people into doing his bidding ! As for that idiot Didymas Mutasa , I can hardly wait to see you in hell, you will pay dearly , Satanyoko !

  • jallohlaw
    Jan 4 2009, 19:37

    The Government of Zimbabwe has a duty to haunt down SUSPECTED terrorists, such as Jestina Mukoko.

    We are not fooled by the cover "peace, bla, bla, bla."

    The law will take its course, and wrapping a terrorist with the flag of peace will only fool fools.

    Project Guerrilla warfare on terrorism in the City haunt them down, HARARE.

  • jrr562004
    Jan 6 2009, 04:49

    The troll Shallow is not Zimbabwean, is not in Zimbabwe and knows nothing about Zimbabwe. This is evidenced in his replies. He is in West Africa, probably Sierra Leone where he was hounded off other web sites. All he will try to do is annoy you with name calling and Rhetoric. Ignoring him totally is the best thing to do. He is a nothing man and will contribute nothing.

  • Phiri
    Jan 4 2009, 22:39

    This post was deleted because it contravenes AllAfrica's commenting guidelines.

  • Phiri
    Jan 4 2009, 22:39

    Jailhow, we all must respect human rights. Holding Mukoko without any legal frame work is a gross violation of human rights. She deserves to be freed! Such accussations about individual Zimbabweans opposssed to Robert Mugabe are so common. Yesterday it was Tsvangirai being accussed and who knows who the next person will be!

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