HARARE Zimbabwes legal circus continued last week as a Harare magistrate was forced to indefinitely postpone the trial of prominent human rights lawyer Alec Muchadehama after the Attorney Generals Office asked for time to dig for more evidence. (Pictured: Muchadehamas lawyer Beatrice Mtetwa)A Harare magistrate indefinitely postponed Muchadehamas trial on charges of obstructing the course of justice after the bumbling AGs Office indicated that it was not yet ready to proceed with the case. Muchadehamas lawyer Beatrice Mtetwa said the AGs Office had indicated that it intended to combine the lawyers trial with that of
another unspecified person and therefore needed more time to gather the requisite evidence.
The trial would then proceed after they have completed their investigations, Mtetwa said. Mtetwa described the latest development as another sign of abuse of
the AGs prosecutorial powers for purposes of persecution. Charges against Muchadehama arise from allegations that he connived with the clerk of a High Court judge in facilitating the release on bail of freelance photojournalist Shadreck Manyere and two activists from Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirais party who were in police
custody on terrorism charges.
The three had initially been granted bail by the High Court but state prosecutors later appealed against the judgement. The accused had already been released on bail by the time the appeal was made. Zimbabwe’s controversial AG, Johannes Tomana, has been accused of selective application of the law, often twisting the legal system to
persecute perceived opponents of President Robert Mugabe.
The AG is a sworn ally of the aging Zimbabwean leader.
Post published in: Politics