[DEBATE] : (Fwd) Mukoko/abductees update

[Patrick Bond]

SW Radio
Jestina Mukoko and other abductees are detained in Harare

Violet Gonda
23 December 2008

Human rights lawyers made a breakthrough on Tuesday, after battling
for weeks to get the police to investigate the disappearance of
several MDC and civic activists. Lawyer Charles Kwaramba said despite
denials by the police it has now emerged that at least 12 of the
scores of people abducted are being held in various police stations
around Harare.

After spending the day combing police stations the lawyers established
that Jestina Mukoko, the director of the Zimbabwe Peace Project, was
at one point held at Highlands police station, then moved to Matapi in
Mbare, Morgan Tsvangirai's former aide Ghandi Mudzingwa is being held
at Highlands.

Kwaramba also said Concillia Chinanzvavana, the MDC Mashonaland West
provincial Chairperson of the Women's Assembly, and her husband,
Emmanuel Chinanzvana, who is a councillor for Ward 25 in Zvimba South,
are being held in Marlborough police station. The two were part of the
group of 15 who have been missing for nearly two months.

The news will come as a relief to the victims' family and friends, as
many of the abductees were kidnapped from their homes and have been
missing for several weeks.

The welfare of the victims is not yet known as lawyers are still being
denied access to their clients. It is reported that the abducted
activist are being charged under the Criminal Act which talks about
training of banditry.

"But we feel as legal practitioners that there is really no point
taking these persons to court. We are actually quite surprised that
they are in police cells when the police have been coming to court
saying 'we don't know anything about these people', but all of a
sudden they pitch up in police cells," Kwaramba said.

Last Friday MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai warned he will suspend all
negotiations and contact with Zanu PF if all the abductees are not
released or charged in a court of law by New Year.