WOZA kidnap case must continue - magistrate

A magistrate in Bulawayo ruled on Monday that activists Jenni Williams and Magodonga Mahlangu will have to defend themselves against kidnap and theft charges, even though the key witnesses denied the incident ever happened and contradicted police statements.

Williams and Mahlangu, leaders of Women of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA), were in the Bulawayo Magistrates Court for a ruling on their application to have the case dropped without having to present a defence.

Williams told SW Radio Africa she had expected that the ruling would be in their favour, given that both key witnesses for the state testified that they were never victimized by the two activists. But to their surprise Magistrate Goodluck Sangweni ruled that the case must continue.

Defence lawyer Kossam Ncube immediately advised the magistrate that he would apply to the High Court to have the decision reviewed. Ncube asked for a written copy of the reasons for dismissal of the WOZA application, and the judge agreed to provide it on Friday.

Williams said the magistrates' decision was "more than just the harassment of human rights activists" but also "malicious prosecution" by the police.