The trio was abducted and taken to the Attorney-Generals (AG) office in Harare and told that they should testify against other MDC activists who are to face trial next week on trumped-charges of banditry or they would face unspecified consequences.
At the AGs office, the three were ordered to testify as State witnesses when the trial of other MDC activists kicks off on Monday. They were ordered to testify against their colleagues in accordance with the instructions that they were given by the police or risk facing serious unspecified consequences. The three were released this morning and told to go to their respective homes but to come to court next week.
Musona, Tembo and Tarumbwa were arrested in October last year and spent four months in illegal detention. They were never charged or brought to court and were released from their illegal detention in February 2009 following a High Court order.
Meanwhile, MDC lawyers have prepared an urgent High Court application to stop the State from using Musona, Tarumbwa and Tembo as witnesses. Tembo is a Councillor for Ward 22, Zvimba South and MDC district organizing secretary, Tarumbwa is a coordinator for the same ward while Musona is the Mashonaland West provincial vice secretary.
The three activists were part of over 40 MDC and civic society activists including two year-old Nigel Mutemagawu who were abducted between October and December last year and were only released from illegal detention in February after spending more than four months.
The others including Zimbabwe Peace Project director, Jestina Mukoko and the MDC Mashonaland West provincial Womens Assembly chairperson, Concilia Chinanzvavana were later brought to court on trumped up charges of banditry and recruiting MDC youths for terrorism training in neighbouring Botswana.
Post published in: News