Financial Gazette (Harare)
16 March 2009
Harare — THE Joint Monitoring and Implementation Committee (JOMIC) stamped its authority last week to steer the inclusive government on the correct path when it summoned Kembo Mohadi and Giles Mutsekwa - the Home Affairs Ministers - to explain the persistent detention of the remaining political prisoners that continues to hobble the shaky power-sharing arrangement.
It has since emerged that the Ministers who preside over the police and the Attorney General's Office - both under fire for attempting to undermine the historic inclusive government - can also not account for three of the remaining political prisoners whose whereabouts are unknown.
More than 30 Movement for Democratic Change (MDC-T) activists were held incommunicado by State security agents since October last year in connection with alleged acts of insurgency against President Robert Mugabe's government.
The activists who were later to be handed over to police after worldwide condemnation had been held despite a High Court order compelling the State to produce them.
But last week President Mugabe struck a deal with JOMIC to have all political prisoners released on condition they dropped their appeals in the High and Supreme Courts in line with the Global Political Agreement (GPA) signed on September 15 2008.
This led to the release of most of the prisoners except seven. The seven include MDC-T treasurer Roy Bennett, Ghandi Mudzingwa, the Prime Minister's assistant, Kisimusi Dhlamini, Andreson Manyere, a journalist and the three unaccounted for.But Bennett was yesterday granted US$5 000 bail by Supreme Court Chief Justice Godfrey Chidyausiku after he dismissed the State's claim for his continued detention. This was an increase of US$3 000 from the previous bail money set by the High Court.
Chidyausiku also ordered Bennett to surrender his title deeds for Stand 901 of Umtali Township Lands held under deed transfer number 7571-88, surrender all his travel documents, report thrice a week at Harare Central's Law and Order Section, not to interfere with witnesses and to reside at a given address.
Among the prisoners that were freed without charge include two-year-old Nigel Mutemagawu.
JOMIC -- the principal body charged with the implementation of the GPA -- last week summoned Mohadi and Mutsekwa and ordered them to release the remaining prisoners who have been languishing in remand for subversion and recruiting fighters to topple President Mugabe.
Mohadi and Mutsekwa told the Committee, accused of lacking stamina to get things done, that they had not been briefed on the situation and would in due course inform JOMIC on any development regarding the prisoners after checking with subordinates.
Contacted for comment this week Mutsekwa confirmed being hauled before JOMIC. Mutsekwa said he, together with Mohadi, had since ordered the police to release the remaining three prisoners as soon as their names were verified.
But as of yesterday the defence lawyer, Alec Muchadehama, was still pursuing a Supreme Court appeal to have them released.
"The delay was caused by the fact that there was confusion over the names of the detainees," Mutsekwa said. "That has since been sorted out and we have given the police instructions to release the prisoners in the spirit of the inclusive government. However, there are three more whose whereabouts are still unknown.
"The police have said they are not in their custody, so we are still looking for them. We must ensure that the police comply with court orders because they are the face of this inclusive government and we must ensure that faith is brought back to the police force."
Mohadi yesterday said he was sure the remaining political prisoners had been released.
Said Mohadi: "I am sure they have been released by now. I was in Zambia, but my co-minister should have more detail because they must have appeared in court last Friday and released."
JOMIC chairperson, Elton Mangoma, has expressed concern about the flouting of the provisions of the GPA signed between President Mugabe's ZANU-PF and the two Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) formations led by Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and Arthur Mutambara, the Deputy Prime Minister.
"We were satisfied (with Mohadi and Mutsekwa's explanations) but I think we are hitting a brick wall at the execution stage of decisions," Mangoma said. "We are still trying to figure out where the stumbling block is. Maybe it could be at the stage of communication, I don't know."
Mangoma said his Committee would leave no stone unturned in making sure that the culprits behind the continued incarceration of the prisoners were exposed and dealt with to enable the inclusive government to operate smoothly.
"On the issue of detainees, we agreed that all of them should be released sometime ago, but this has not yet happened," Mangoma said.
"We are therefore concerned that what we are agreeing on is not happening. The three principals agreed to the outstanding issues of the political detainees; that they should be released, so I don't see what the problem is. We spoke to the two ministers of Home Affairs and expressed our concerns to which they said they would get back to us."
Mangoma said his committee was looking at all outstanding issues with a view to making sure the provisions of the power-sharing agreement were implemented. Apart from the release of the political prisoners, ZANU-PF and the MDC have also agreed to review the appointments of Provincial Governors and the reversal of the appointments of permanent secretaries last month.
Tsvangirai had vowed not to join hands with his long time rival President Mugabe in a unity government before all prisoners, who at the time included human rights defender Jestina Mukoko, were released.
Mukoko, the director of the Zimbabwe Peace Project, was freed by magistrate Mishrod Guvamombe on US$600 bail and US$20 000 surety and ordered to surrender all travel documents and report to Norton Police regularly.
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On the 'Top Zimbabwe Stories' page there are 12 entries from 'Gono's Gazette' and 16 from 'The Herald' out of a total of 36.
I have come to the conclusion that allAfrica is not a reliable news source. I am not going to waste anymore time on this site.
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Well, if it doesn't bother you awt... I'll let it slide for awhile. Anyway, this is what I've observed.
1/Those 2 papers seem to save up articles and flood allafrica all at once. A lot of the pieces they submit are up to 2 weeks old and passed off as 'recent'.
2/I've read 'Headline' stories on Google news that I don't even see here. That leads me to suspect those papers are trying to bury topical and relevant news.
I don't want to be a conspiracy nut so I'll try to keep an open mind and am willing to accept… [Read Full Text]
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This post was deleted because it contravenes AllAfrica's commenting guidelines.
This post was deleted because it contravenes AllAfrica's commenting guidelines.
This post was deleted because it contravenes AllAfrica's commenting guidelines.
See all comments (34).
In civilized societies, charges of treason and sabotage are considered of such serious import that the 'niceties' to be found within the civilian judicial system are dispensed with.
It may take months for the necessary investigations to be completed and the charges brought up - and the networks of crime unearthed, investigated and disrupted. Often certain methods of interrogation are employed which are not usually encountered within the civilian systems. And the apprehended subjects may not be heard from by their families for months - and even years.
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In cases involving terrorism, sabotage and treason, the evidence… [Read Full Text]