Hon. Biti was brought to court in leg irons like a common criminal following and is in police custody at Matapi police station in Mbare, Harare.
He had been denied food and access to lawyers since his arrest on Wednesday, as the police were keeping mum on his whereabouts. Â
The application was heard in the chambers after High Court judge Ben Hlatshwayo granted the MDC’s lawyers application to bring Hon. Biti to court by 10 am today.
The police only brought Hon. Biti to court at 12 pm, two hours after the time set by the judge. The police initially came to court at 10 am without Hon. Biti. They said they wanted to make sure that indeed there was such a court order compelling them to bring him to court today.
Hon. Biti was brought to court in leg irons amid high security, as if he were a common criminal. He has not been formally charged but the police have said they want to charge him with treason arising out of what is obviously a fake document, headlined “Transitional Mechanism” which was concocted by the CIO. Â
Two months ago, the MDC held a press conference dismissing the fake document, which forms the basis of the State case.
The police also say they want to quiz the MDC secretary-general over what they allege to be his premature announcement of the 29 March poll result.
Hon. Biti was arrested at the Harare International Airport on Wednesday soon after arrival from South Africa, where he was staying for the last two months. Â
MDC Information and Publicity Department
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