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Imprisonment of Roy Bennett provocative and unacceptable
Movement for Democratic Change (MDC)
October 14, 2009

The MDC regards today's indictment and subsequent detention of Treasurer-General and deputy agriculture minister designate Roy Bennett as yet another serious attack on the credibility of the inclusive government.

Hon Bennett was arrested exactly eight months ago and instead of kicking off his belated trial this week, Zanu PF has invented yet another technicality to have him detained without trial on trumped-up charges of banditry and terrorism.

As a party, we believe that justice delayed is justice denied. It appears there is no haste to put Hon Bennett to his defence, but there is all the hurry to put him behind bars on the day his trial is supposed to kick off.

The MDC views this as an act of machination by Zanu PF and its sulking cabal planted in various state institutions aimed at persecuting not prosecution.

As a party, we know that Bennett is innocent. The banditry charges are trumped-up and they poison the letter and spirit of the inclusive government and the Global Political Agreement.

This latest action is deliberately provocative, unnecessary and motivated by hatred of a personality. The MDC takes this matter as a serious attack on the integrity and honesty of the party; it is not acceptable and will not be taken lightly.

We believe in the rule of law not in the rule by law. We believe that human rights are universal and inviolable. Individual freedoms, security and justice are at the epicenter of democracy.

Together to the end, marching to a new Zimbabwe.

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