Detained MDC activists still refused bail (6-6-07)

e matter was still being handled by
the Magistrate’s Court and that the opposition
activists had to request for bail there.
MDC lawyer, Alec Muchadehama applied for bail to be
granted to the 31 members of the opposition party lat
week. The activists were arrested during a raid at
Harvest House whilst others were later abducted from
their homes in March and have been held by the Mugabe
regime as it tries to justify its allegations that the
opposition was behind the wave of political violence
that rocked the country, mainly through the use of
petrol bombs.
The activists were due to appear at the Magistrate’s
Court for routine remand hearing and it was on that
basis that Machokoto declined to hear the bail
application.
Former news editor of the Daily News, Luke
Tamborinyoka who is now the director of information in
the MDC is among the group in remand prison. Elections
director and advisor of MDC president, Ian Makone was
released last week on bail of $150 million granted
after several bids had been turned down by both the
lower and upper courts.
Meanwhile, MDC’s deputy organizing secretary, Morgan
Komichi, who has been battling for life in remand
prison was finally taken to hospital on Wednesday
morning but with very stringent conditions requiring
anyone wishing to visit him to obtain clearance first
from the remand prison.
MDC spokesman, Nelson Chamisa confirmed Komichi was
now at West End Hospital in Harare but blasted the
stringent measure attached to visiting him.
“It is very unfortunate that the regime doesn’t even
want us to freely visit those battling for life after
they were brutalized by its people,” Chamisa said.
He further said the opposition party was worried by
the increasing desire by the regime to continue using
repression to destroy the party ahead of elections
through all sorts of mechanisms.