Lovemore Matombo and Wellington
Chibhebhe were arrested Thursday over allegations they incited people to
rise against the government during their May Day speeches at Dzivarasekwa
Stadium in Harare.
The two leaders had presented themselves to the police on Thursday and were
interrogated for 6 hours before charges were laid. Their lawyer Alec
Muchadehama said the relevant paper work had not been done to ensure his
clients appeared in court within the stipulated 48 hours. Weekends and
public holidays are never included in that legal window and are often used
by the state to prolong the detention of perceived anti-government
opponents.
Meanwhile Davison Maruziva, the editor of the weekly Zimbabwe Standard, was
released Friday after spending the night in police custody. Police picked
him up from the newspaper’s offices and accused him of publishing an
‘offensive’ article by Arthur Mutambara the leader of one of the MDC
factions. The article entitled, ‘A shameful betrayal of national
Independence,’ is said to have been ‘prejudicial’ to the state. Maruziva was
granted Z$10 billion bail.
Post published in: News