Nqobani Ndhlovu
14 November 2009
Bulawayo — A Plumtree magistrate and prosecutors in the border town have recused themselves from a potentially explosive case after they received death threats for denying bail to soldiers accused of shooting a policeman.
Seven soldiers armed with AK47 riffles led by a lieutenant in September stormed a Dingumuzi Stadium during a soccer match and shot the policeman they accused of snatching their colleague's girlfriend.
Resident magistrate Mark Dziva who handled the case reportedly received a letter warning him that he would be killed after he denied three of the seven accused soldiers, Victor Mugo, Tapiwa Chigiji and Trust Matende bail. The letter was delivered a week after Dziva remanded them in custody to October 30.
Sources said the case has since been transferred to Gwanda because judicial officers in Plumtree now feared for their lives.
Dziva could not be reached for comment but the matter was reported to the police.
The officer commanding Matabeleland South Criminal Investigations Department (CID) Chief Superintendent, Abigail Dube confirmed that the magistrate received the death threats.
"The matter is under investigation," Dube said, without elaborating.
The threats against the judicial officers in Plumtree come at a time when there are mounting concerns about the unity government's failure to promote the rule of law.
Last week, human rights lawyers complained about the failure by the Attorney General, Johannes Tomana to protect them from harassment.
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Par for the Course for the Attorney General.........
One law for ZANU-Poof and their botlickers, the military, so-called War Veterans and the Youth Militias, and another law for everyone else in Zimbabwe.......
This is nothing but "Animal Farm" writ large! "All Animals are equal, but some Animals are more equal than others"...........
And one guess who the "Pigs" are.......?
"Total Empowerment!" - to rape, to beat, to torture, to murder, so long as you are a supporter of ZANU-Poof.........