An Update from Irene Petras, Acting Executive Director of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights:
Lawyers representing unlawfully detained human rights lawyers Andrew Makoni and Alec Muchadehama remain unable to secure their release at the time of this update, as police continue to flagrantly defy two Court Orders issued by Justice Tedius Karwi on 4 May and 5 May 2007.
On attempting to secure Alec Muchadehama's release from Matapi police station yesterday, lawyers were informed by the Officer in Charge that he had been removed from the police station by members of the Law and Order section just before the lawyers had arrived. Likewise, the lawyers found when they attended Stodart police station that three men in dark suits had visited the cells and removed Alec Muchadehama around the same time, without the knowledge of the Officer in Charge.
ZLHR lawyers returned to CID Law and Order section at Harare Central where the police, including two of the Respondents who were aware of the Court Order for the release of the 2 detained persons (Assistant Commissioner Mabunda and Detective Inspector Rangwani), continued to hinder their efforts and ignore the Court Order. The lawyers also found that Mr Richard Chikosha, the legal representative of the Respondents had been dragged to the polcie station where he had been assaulted by police and warned by Mabunda to "go and reverse Karwi's order". The lawyers were forced to leave the police station, fearing assault by the officers in the Law and Order section.
Lawyers are about to file another Urgent Application seeking the production of Makoni and Muchadehama in court together with an explanation from the police as to why they continue to hold the two in custody despite the order.
Information reaching us is that police intend to charge the two lawyers under section 184(e) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act with obstructing the course of justice. No further details of the evidence against them has been provided to their legal representatives.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Irene Petras
Acting Executive Director
Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights
