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State
concocts new ludicrous allegations against Mtetwa, ropes in “star”
prosecutor as trial date is set
Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR)
April 08,
2013
The Attorney
General’s Office has concocted new ludicrous allegations
against prominent human rights lawyer, Beatrice Mtetwa, in a desperate
bid to bolster its case against the feisty legal practitioner.
State prosecutors
on Friday 5 April 2013 served the human rights lawyer’s attorneys
with the concocted allegations together with State papers to prepare
for her trial which commences on 27 May 2013 and is expected to
last until 31 May 2013 at Harare Magistrates Court.
A perusal of
the State papers show that prosecutors have now supplemented the
State papers by adding new allegations that were previously not
included in the original State papers used during Mtetwa’s
initial remand proceedings last month.
The State has
now embellished its papers with new allegations, which now reads:
“ Stop whatever you are doing, it’s unconstitutional,
illegal and undemocratic. You confused cockroaches” as well
as “Murimbwa dzaMugabe” which prosecutors translated
to mean “You are Mugabe’s dogs”.
In the original
State papers, Mtetwa, a board member of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human
Rights was accused of telling police officers that: “Stop
whatever you are doing, it’s unconstitutional, illegal and
undemocratic”.
The State also
alleges that Mtetwa uttered the following words: “You people,
do you know what you are doing. Murimbwa dzaMugabe” which
prosecutors decoded to mean “You are Mugabe’s dogs”.
Oddly, the statement
above was not contained in the original court papers but was first
brought to the public domain through a malicious opinion article
written in the State-run Sunday Mail by Tsholotsho North constituency
legislator and Zanu PF politburo member Jonathan Moyo.
Prosecutors
also overdramatically claimed that Mtetwa conducted herself indecently
when she threatened to relieve herself in a public place.
On Monday, Tawanda
Zvekare, the Acting Director of Public Prosecutions in the AG’s
Office took over the lead prosecuting role and he will be assisted
by Michael Mugabe, the chief law officer as trial prosecutors.
The State has
lined up nine witnesses to testify against Mtetwa and these include
Chief Superintendent Luckson Mukazhi, Detective Assistant Inspector
Wilfred Chibage, Detective Constable Ngatirwe Mamiza, Detective
Sergeant Taizivei Tembo, Assistant Inspector Thabani Nkomo, Chido
Chawanikwa, a police officer, Stembiwe Vera, a caretaker at Prime
Minister Morgan Tsvangirai’s research and development office,
Brian Mutusva, a computer technician in the PM’s Office and
a driver, Zororai Mudariki.
Mtetwa was arrested
on 17 March 2013 and charged with contravening Section 184 (1) (g)
of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act for allegedly
defeating or obstructing the course of justice.
At court, dozens
of truncheon wielding police officers loitered inside the court
house while others took positions outside the court building.
Meanwhile, the
trial of four of Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai’s aides
will commence on 13 May 2013 and is expected to run until 17 May
2013.
Tsvangirai’s
aides Thabani Mpofu, Felix Matsinde, Councillor Warship Dumba and
Mehluli Tshuma were arrested on Sunday 17 March 2013 and charged
with contravening Section 4 of Official
Secrets Act for allegedly receiving or communicating secret
information, Section 179 (1) of the Criminal Law (Codification and
Reform) for alleged impersonation and Section 40 (1) of the Criminal
Law (Codification and Reform) Act for possession of articles
for criminal use.
Mpofu is also
facing charges of contravening Section 4 (1) of the Firearms Act
for allegedly failing to renew a firearm certificate and Section
28 (2) of the Firearms Act for allegedly keeping a firearm in a
non-secure place.
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fact
sheet
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