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Trial
of GALZ employee Ellen Chademana commenced at the Harare Magistrates
court
Gays and Lesbians of Zimbabwe (GALZ)
November 15, 2010
The trial of
GALZ employee Ellen Chademana commenced at the Harare Magistrates
court. Chademana facing charges of allegedly possessing pornographic
pictures thereby contravening section 26(1) of the Censorship and
Entertainment Control Act (Chapter10:04). This follows the states
refusal to grant an application for discharge, which had earlier
on been filed by Chademana's lawyers.
On November
12 2010, the case began with cross examination by Chademana's defence
Lawyer Jeremiah Bamu. Chademana took to the witness stand and gave
an account of what transpired on the fateful day, when she, together
with a colleague was arrested
during an office raid on May 21 2010.
She told the court how the search began in her absence
and was only called in by the police who said they only needed her
to assist them with information.
"To my surprise when I got to the office soon
as I got off my car I was ordered to switch off my cellphone, and
I was whisked into the offices. Everything was in a mess indicating
that there had been a search earlier on. I was notified by the police
that during the search which had been conducted in my absence, the
police had found on my work station a file written Gender Minutes
2006 and 2007 which allegedly contained a pornographic picture."
She also narrated how she was not in possession
of the alleged folder and was not aware of its contents and maintained
that she has never seen this folder before.
Meanwhile the
trial will re-commence on the 16th of November with Chademana's
cross-examination by the state prosecutor Rufaro Mhandu . Harare
Magistrate Don Ndirowei is presiding over the matter. Charges levelled
against Chademana arose when police armed with a search warrant
ransacked the GALZ offices alleging that the organisation was in
possession of dangerous drugs and pornographic material.
News
Update
November 16, 2010
The trial of
GALZ employee Ellen Chademana has been postponed to November 18,
0830 hrs, Court 5. Harare Magistrate Don Ndirowei is presiding over
the matter.
Chademana was
set to be re-examined by the state prosecutor Rufaro Mhandu today
(16 November), however due to a backlog of cases the matter had
to be deferred to a later date.
The trial commenced
at the Harare Magistrates court on the 12th of November, with a
cross examination by the defense lawyers.
Chademana is
facing charges of allegedly possessing pornographic pictures thereby
contravening Section 26(1) of the Censorship and Entertainment Control
Act (Chapter10:04).
This follows
the states refusal to grant an application for discharge, which
had earlier on been filed by Chademana's lawyers.
Charges leveled
Chademana arose when police armed with a search warrant ransacked
the GALZ offices alleging that the organisation was in possession
of dangerous drugs and pornographic material.
Visit the GALZ
fact
sheet
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