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Following his arrest on Friday, MDC Treasurer General and Deputy Minister of Agriculture designate Roy Bennett, was on Friday evening charged with treason for his part in an alleged 2006 plot to overthrow Robert Mugabe.
Bennet was picked up just outside Harare at Charles Prince airport by police as he was about to fly to South Africa. He was briefly detained at Marondera police station before being taken to Mutare police station, where he was later charged. The MDC reported that police fired live ammunition in the air and brought in dogs to disperse the hundreds of MDC supporters who had surrounded Mutare police station to demand the release of Roy Bennett.
Initially, police had charged Bennett with attempting to leave the country illegally, a charge that later changed to treason. These charges stem from an alleged plot in 2006 to assassinate Mugabe in which one of the alleged conspirators, Michael Peter Hitschmann, was jailed on weapons charges. The case was later thrown out by the state but Hitschmann remains jailed.
The MDC has always said that plots such as this were clear attempts by ZANU PF to discredit them. The Minister of Finance and MDC Secretary General Tendai Biti was last year faced with similar charges of treason, charges that were dropped a week before his swearing-in.
Hundreds of Bennet supporters spent a watchful Friday night outside the heavily guarded Mutare police station to ensure he was not removed and taken to one of the torture and interrogation bases in Marondera or Goromonzi, something police had attempted to do earlier in the day.
The MDC have now said that Bennett is being denied food, and that there was an intention to dump him in Chivero river.
They also state that Bennett's abduction and arrest was planned and organised by Zimbabwe's military intelligence, led by a guy called Mzilikazi. They also say the SAS unit, the torture unit of the army, is involved under the direction of Manene. General Constantine Chiwenga is also involved.
The MDC have said that Bennett must be released unconditionally and unharmed, immediately. And that all state institutions must respect the rule of law, human rights, the spirit and letter of the Global Political Agreement.
Meanwhile, the MDC have been criticised for going ahead with Friday's swearing-in ceremony of the cabinet, while Bennett was being arrested, and without securing the release of scores of civic and political activists who are being tortured and are still behind bars at Chikurubi. Latest reports do say that human rights activist Jestina Mukoko has finally been hospitalised, after numerous court orders insisting on this had been ignored.
Prime Minister Tsvangirai has blamed Bennett's arrest on 'factions who want to destroy the country's coalition government' and it's believed Tsvangirai is trying to meet with Mugabe to discuss Bennett's arrest.
Tsvangirai said Bennett's "safety was guaranteed by the South African and Zimbabwean governments and his arrest ... raises a lot of concerns as it undermines the spirit of the agreement."
Meanwhile, nearly a 1 000 members of the human rights groups Women of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA) and Men of Zimbabwe Arise (MOZA) on Saturday took to the streets of Bulawayo in their annual Valentine's Day march.
Once again the peaceful marchers were blocked by armed riot police. Some of the men and women were beaten, and an unknown number have been arrested and taken to Bulawayo Central Police Station. WOZA Co-ordinators Magodonga Mahlangu and Jenni William, who were preparing to take food to the detainees were not able to confirm the number of people arrested because lawyers were being denied access to them. But as many as 100 may have been picked up by police.
Williams said what happened was a clear example that there was 'nothing in the unity deal.' She said, "We can't even march peacefully as we have done for the past six years handing out fliers and roses."
A statement from the group said:
"The events in Bulawayo, together with the arrest of the 10 people after Tuesday's protest, the arrest of MDC Treasurer Roy Bennett on the day of the swearing in of Ministers and the continued incarceration of Jestina Mukoko and other abductees despite court orders instructing their release, are further evidence however that nothing has changed in Zimbabwe. More than ever Zimbabweans need to remain vigilant and participate in defending their rights and freedoms against a regime determined to cling to power despite the platitudes they mouth that they are prepared to share power."
The WOZA march was also attended by three members of South African civil society, as a mark of solidarity. The observers have expressed their concerns at the police response and have vowed to go back to South Africa and report to their colleagues that 'repression is still taking place in Zimbabwe, in spite of the unity deal.'
Solidarity events were also scheduled to take place on Saturday in London, Canada and South Africa.
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The right thing to do may be the most difficult for those on the ground in Zimbabwe. This is the reason that the United States founders insisted on an armed civilian population. And believe you me, they are armed. An Uncle Bob here would not last a week. The people must go back to the days when the whites who ruled were shown the door. Did they go willingly? What method did Uncle use against them? In the mean time take names, auto registrations, pictures; chisel them into stone for that day when Bob goes to meet his maker and that day will come. Carlos4
Does anyone know how many people in the security forces are actually loyal to General Constantine Chiwenga? How long can he intimidate and bully the majority of peace loving soldiers and police with his band of criminal thugs? It's only a matter of time before Mr. Chiwenga is arrested for crimes against the state and treason.
A case of the last kicks of a dying horse we thought we were resuscitating the horse but alas the horse is going one way.
My fellowman Noble1 and Bhodlumlilo I find very wanting in your thinking. A soldier in the army follows orders without question a General follows orders from the government after giving his or her opinion on the subject matter, but at the end of the day the government has its own way. You insitaute that the military is behind the arrest of dear Bennett.Who told you that and where you there at Prince Charles. The MDC treasurer general moves like a movie star on a private plane my goodness me the guys who are trying to shape the econonmy. Why Prince Charles airport. That airport is notorious gateway port for Rhodies running away fron justice and percieved would be persecution.Since when did military arrest people, anyway did you cry foul when the USA military took assumed terrorist to that infamous bay in Cuba.No you were busy praising the old Bush for bringing democracy to your doorstep. Let the courts do their work withou the likes of minority WOZA and you interfering and messing up everything. Funnily WOZA reminds me of WOZA Friday in the days when I was using a separate bathroom at Morgan High School Enterprise house in the late seventies.Who is sending these thugs in the street to tell the Attorney General how to do his job.If Bennett is not guilty he will find his way to south africa a country that produced inept leaders but very caring to accomodate the likes of Bennetts who tell them with no emotions in their faces that what they think is "nullity".WOZA time for stupid stayways,demos,distruption of business,looting,destruction of public and private property in the name of so called "upholding of human rights" is over. Its time to rebuild. Are you respecting my human rights when to disturb me from going on with my private business. Morgan and Robert will look into the Bennett case if there is need. They have their AG, PC and Director of Security to see that the RHodie gets justice without you little people messing up. Dont you have faith in th coalition if you are not you dont belong to Zimbabwe. For God to heal you you must have faith. For modern medicine to work on you, you must tune your mind to the treatment. For this new treatment to work we need people to tune their minds to the cause. SW radio is never one of us, the Mundawararas are they descents of the Muzowera's Mundawararas if so we forgive them. We need people reporting positively, setting a goodd tone to make things work. SW Radio you thought you could help your war moongering little idiots at 10 Downing street to make Zimbabwe into another Rwanda, but alas Zimbabweans dont believe in murder. Kune NGOZI unless you come from Mufakose or Mabvuku and you had an alien ID before old Mugabe made you feel at home.
moltecc & chokora each of your comments are so full of lies so in the future at least tell a lie that is believable only Mugabe and his zanu-pf leadership believe this crap you have stated..Because your government does has its own way which is the corrupt way and there is no justice done you like to point the finger at the west and show them their faults but you never look upon your own faults which are many are most are all b/c of Mugabe and the Zanu-pf.. Why blame everyone else for the murders of your countrymen look Mugabe has had total control for the last 30 years and so all of these deaths, problems, hunger and the list to go on fall upon his shoulders so stop crying to me and blaming the west when you only say what you hear from The Mugabe Daily News which is a bunch of lies...
The US has arrested many terrorist yes but they do not call them terrorist b/c they think differently than our President but b/c OF 9/11 and well you probably rejoiced when so many innocent people died at the hands of terrorist that day. Mugabe and the Zanu-pf define treason by anyone who does not support him or think like they do and that is not a terrorist so look up a definition of terrorist. You say we are killing innocent people in Iraq & Afghanistan but it was not a Us decision but this decision to go to war with the terrorists there was agreed on by many leaders of the world. Innocent people die in wars no matter what you say.
Mugabe is as guilty and more guilty of treason and war crimes than anyone trust me let his feet touch soil in the right place and off to jail he will go and he will have his day in court. Mugabe is behind Bennett's arrest and all know that and and it a made up charge that they try to add more lies to to get him convicted. where is the justice for Mugabe and the zanu-pf for all of the crimes they have committed????? so do not cry about south africans running back there to be protected when Mugabe in the same situation there.
so you two need to get together and actually find facts and not a bunch of fabricated lies that you keep spreading which 98% do not believe a word you say..
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