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Disgust at the arrest of Jonathan Samkange
The Law Society of Zimbabwe
May 19, 2010

Statement on the manner of arrest of Jonathan Samkange on Monday 17 May 2010 at Rotten Row

The Law Society of Zimbabwe would like to express its utmost disgust at the unwarranted arrest of a Harare senior legal practitioner Mr Jonathan Samkange as a result of a warrant of arrest issued against him for failure to appear in Court on time. Mr Samkange was arrested at 8.40 am on his way into court though at that time the arresting officers had not obtained the signed warrant. The police officers took him to Matapi and Harare police stations were they sought to detain him without success thereby denying him his liberty unlawfully and unnecessarily. The fact that Mr Samkange was taken to court by the arresting officers at 2.30pm is a clear indication that the police did not arrest Mr Samkange in the furtherance of justice. The arrest defies any logic as the purpose of the warrant was to bring him to court not to secure detention. This is a clear abuse of power and authority to harass and intimidate lawyers who represent clients of their choice who may happen to be unpopular with police or government.

Lawyers are as of right entitled to execute their professional duties to clients of their own choice without interference. The detaining of a lawyer for no apparent cause is tantamount to impingement of rule of law and independence of the profession. We can not avoid the inference that Mr Samkange is being victimised because of his client's cause.(the diamond saga) To this end The Law Society castigates the malice and overzealousness exhibited by Police in arresting and unlawfully detaining him.

The Law Society of Zimbabwe calls upon the Police officers to treat Lawyers with due respect and to desist from abusing their office to maliciously persecute and cause vindictive prosecution against lawyers.

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