SW Radio Africa (London)
Violet Gonda
28 July 2009
Another MDC Member of Parliament has been arrested, making him the eighth MDC legislators to have been arrested in recent months. Thamsanqa Mahlangu, who is also the MDC Youth Assembly Chairperson and Deputy Youth Minister was arrested on Tuesday and detained at Harare Central Police.
Although a statement by the MDC states he was detained in unclear circumstances, the website NewZimbabwe.com said he was allegedly arrested over the theft of a mobile phone belonging to the self styled war veteran Joseph Chinotimba.
Police spokesman Senior Assistant Commissioner Wayne Bvudzijena is quoted by the website as saying that the phone went missing two weeks ago during the All Stakeholders Conference meeting in Harare. Bvudzijena said: "His arrest is in connection with the theft of a cell phone at a function that was held at the Harare International Conference Centre...Two of his relatives are facing charges relating to using the cell phone line. They are being charged under the Telecommunications Act."
It is reported the MDC official sat at the same table with Chinotimba during the lunch break when the latter left his mobile phone on the table while he collected some food, and on return he could not find his mobile phone.
The police reportedly tracked the number with the help of the network provider and arrested a Hwange woman who was using the sim card. The woman allegedly implicated Mahlangu when she was arrested.
We were not able to verify this information, but the MDC said Mahlangu was picked up by the police at his Ministry's offices on Tuesday afternoon. The party said: "His arrest comes in the wake of renewed persecution of MDC MPs and Ministers. At least seven MPs are facing trumped-up charges while the party's Secretary-General and Minister of Finance, Hon Tendai Biti, yesterday received a letter with a bullet inside it."
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai is expected to meet his party's Parliamentary caucus in Harare on Wednesday to discuss their concerns over the recent arrests and convictions of MDC MPs.
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