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Arrest
and detention in Zimbabwe - Diary of the events from February 23
- April 12, 2002
Hans Christen
Monday 25th February 2002
We woke up covered in mosquito
bites to the sight of a dingy 5m by 7 m cell with four small window
set high in the wall and guarded by burglar bars and weld mesh.
The latrine stank horribly and could not be flushed. We had to cover
it with a blanket to minimise the stench. At mid-morning the door
swung open and Elias, Kenneth and I were able to enjoy a few minutes
of sunshine while we ate our breakfast of mealie meal porridge with
our fingers. The uniformed police officer allowed me to accompany
him, in handcuffs, to the Charge Office where I was permitted to
extract a single cigarette from my bag of possessions. Shortly thereafter
we were herded back into the cell.
At lunch we were once again released
for a few minutes into the diamond-mesh wire enclosure to eat sadza
and kapenta. However a cigarette was refused, as was medication,
soap, toothbrush and paste, visits from my lawyer and from my wife
and friends. These instructions, I was told, had come from the investigating
officers at Marondera CID. Clearly they wanted us to suffer in conditions
of extreme deprivation, denying us even the most basic of human
rights. In addition we were now told that we were no longer allowed
to stretch our legs in the sunshine during the lunch break – we
had to sit up against the outer wall of the cell while we wolfed
down or meal. I even had to ask for permission to walk a couple
of metres to the tap for a mug of water. We were herded back to
the cell as soon as we had finished lunch.
Permission to shower (even without soap)
was refused. I learned later that Jenny had gone to the Marondera
Police Station at 7am in an effort to see me. She was told to bring
me a meal at 8.30am by officers who must have known full well that
I had been transferred to Macheke during the previous night. This
in itself reveals the corrupt and sadistic nature of the investigation
– a blatant attempt to punish me, my wife and my fellow suspects
for daring to sympathise with the MDC. Upon Jenny’s return to the
Marondera police station at 8.30am, she was told that I and two
others had been transferred to Macheke. Jenny duly proceeded to
Macheke but was denied access to me. Similarly the lawyers, Godfrey
Mupanga and Khanyisela Moyo from the Zimbabwe Human Rights Forum
were denied contact with me.
Tuesday 26th February 2002
Again we were denied access
to medication, family, friends, lawyers, and basics such as soap,
toothpaste and toothbrush, toilet paper and cigarettes. Jenny arrived
at the police station in the company of Andrew Chadwick – in vain
- but managed to shout a message of support as she drove past the
cellblock. Marondera lawyer, Richard Mufuka telephoned the Macheke
police, only to be referred to Marondera CID. Officer Kurere (?)
told him that the investigating officer, Detective Inspector Chikwanda
was in Harare and Mr Mufuka was unable to obtain the required cell
phone number to seek permission to see us. A friend came to visit
and was also told that this was not possible. She placed a plastic
shopping bag containing toothbrush, toothpaste, "wet-wipes",
toilet paper, cigarettes and a lighter in a small gap in the diamond
mesh enclosure at my behest. Luckily for once the police officers
had left the tiny peep hole in the steel cell door open, and I had
seen her coming and was able to shout to her. However, upon being
released for the few minutes that it would take us to consume our
evening meal, I discovered that the plastic bag had been removed
and all police officers with whom I came into contact professed
to have no knowledge of its existence. (Interestingly, the plastic
bag was handed to me, unopened, the next day at Marondera police
station when we were transferred back there.) I worked out that
I walked 12 kilometres by pacing backwards and forwards in the cell
– there was little else to do to while away the hours.
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