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BBC music presenter set for release after Tomana turns down prosecution
Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR)
May 28, 2012

Zimbabwe's Attorney General (AG), Johannes Tomana has declined to prosecute BBC classical music presenter, Petroc Trelawny, paving the way for his release from police and hospital custody.

Trelawny was arrested on Thursday 24 May 2012 in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe's second largest city and charged with contravening the country's immigration laws for allegedly working in the country without a work permit and in contravention of his travel visa during the week long Bulawayo Music Festival, which ended at the weekend.

On Monday 28 May 2012, Tomana declined to authorise the prosecution of Trelawny, who had been under police guard for two nights at United Bulawayo Hospital (UBH) after the music presenter's lawyers convinced the AG's Office that he had not violated any of the country's laws.

Trelawny, who remains detained at UBH for the night under police guard is now expected to leave Zimbabwe on Tuesday 29 May 2012 on condition that he secures his passport from Zimbabwean Immigration authorities, who confiscated the travel document upon his arrest and after completing some procedures with the Zimbabwe Republic Police and collecting his personal belongings from Bulawayo Central Police Station, where he was first detained and where he sustained an injury on his arm while in detention.

Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) member lawyer, Munyaradzi Nzarayapenga of Dube-Banda, Nzarayapenga and Partners Legal Practitioners and Nosimilo Chanayiwa of ZLHR represented Trelawny. Trelawny dislocated and fractured his arm when he accidentally stumbled in police cells and was admitted at UBH where his lawyers advised that he was recuperating.

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