The co-chairman of the constitutional parliamentary committee (COPAC), Douglas Mwonzora Last week Friday a High Court Judge granted bail to Mwonzora, plus 24 other activists, following their arrests on trumped-up charges of instigating violence. The Nyanga North MP was released after spending 25 days in custody while the other activists were held for 27 days.
Speaking to SW Radio Africa shortly after his release Mwonzora said his arrest had cost the constitution making process about one months worth of work. Although his colleagues made certain decisions in his absence he was not happy with several of them and had to take measures to correct certain omissions.
For example, Mwonzora told us the views of those in the Diaspora and several institutions that made submissions, had been ignored and not uploaded into the system. He said it had since been agreed by both the Select and Management committees that this has to be done.
Meanwhile Mwonzora spoke about the treatment he received while in police custody, saying he was not allowed to receive medical treatment for the first 5 days in custody. For three days he was denied food and water and not allowed any visitors. An armed policeman was stationed outside the police station where he was being held.
Mwonzoras paper work relating to his bail application also went missing, until his lawyers wrote to the Judge President filing a complaint. Even when he was granted bail the state invoked controversial legislation to suspend his bail for a further 7 days.
Tune in to a special edition of Question Time where Lance Guma speaks to Douglas Mwonzora about his ordeal.
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