Back to Index

State's case dismissed, Zinasu leaders acquitted
Zimbabwe National Students Union
February 08, 2013

There was great jubilation and ululation at the Gweru magistrate's court this morning as the state's case against the vigilant, courageous and revolutionary Zinasu president and secretary general Pride Mkono and Tryvine Musokeri was dismissed. The fierce and fearless student leaders were facing charges under the draconian and malevolent Public Order and Security Act following their address of students at MSU last year.

In a great show of solidarity that will forever be remembered by the Union, Mkono and Musokeri were represented free of charge by Immanuel Samundombe, a former Zinasu secretary general who is now a renowned and reputable lawyer. The case was presided over by Magistrate Msipa.

There was drama at court as the state failed to produce evidence to make its frivolous and vexatious charges against Musokeri and Mkono stick.

The testimonies of state witnesses who were alleging that Mkono and Musokeri were involved in a demonstration came apart at the seems when they were asked to define what a demonstration is which they failed to do much to the amusement of those present at the court session.

The Zimbabwe National Students Union welcomes this development as its leaders were of late frequently traveling to Gweru to attend court sessions instead of concentrating on their duty of representing students.

The POSA charges against Mkono and Musokeri which led to court cases that dragged on for months resulted in the latter spending a lot of time in Whawha prison due to their failure to attend one court session.

To date the student leaders have horrible memories of the odious experiences they went through at the repugnant, repulsive and insalubrious Whawha prison well known for its squalidness.

Notwithstanding the dreadful ordeal they went through in Whawha, the resolute student leaders maintain they shall wear the scars on their psyches caused by these unpleasant experiences like badges of honor in their struggle against oppression and the disregard of human rights.

The conclusion of the trial against Mkono and Musokeri is however one small victory in the lives of the two student leaders which consist of one case of victimization after another as they battle on in a relentless and tenacious quest to free the students of Zimbabwe from the fetters of poverty caused by the under funding of the education sector which has resulted in education being inaccessible to the less financially privileged but intellectually gifted students of Zimbabwe.

The number of court cases, arrests, reports of torture, disruption of peaceful gatherings and suspensions of student leaders from their tertiary institutions are evidence of how the Union is prepared to bare any burden, face any hardship, oppose any foe and pay any price to ensure the betterment of the plight of the students of Zimbabwe.

Visit the ZINASU fact sheet

Please credit www.kubatana.net if you make use of material from this website. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License unless stated otherwise.

TOP