News / National
Glen View 21 MDC-T activists demand $65 000 each
22 Oct 2013 at 05:12hrs | Views
SOME of the MDC-T activists recently acquitted on charges of murdering a cop have sued home affairs minister Kembo Mohadi and police chief Augustine Chihuri for compensation.
Most of the activists are demanding up to $65,000 each for their arrest and lengthy detentions.
They were arrested in 2011 and charged with murdering Inspector Petros Mutedza at a pub in Harare's high density suburb of Glen View. They were also hit with the alternative charge of committing public violence.
The politically charged case dragged on for more than two years with some of the accused spending more than a year in prison after being refused bail
One of the group died while in remand prison.
But 21 of the activists, including human rights campaigner Cynthia Manjoro, were last month acquitted by High Court judge Justice Chinembiri Bhunu.
In his ruling, the judge criticised ZRP officers over their unprofessional conduct in the arrest and detention of the activists as they did not have credible evidence linking them to the murder.
The judge also said the police had arrested Manjoro as an inducement for her boyfriend to surrender himself to the police in connection with the commission of the offence.
Six of the activists have now petitioned Chihuri and Mohadi under whose ministry the ZRP falls, demanding compensation for unlawful arrest, incarceration, pain and suffering and loss of income for the period that they were under persecution.
"His reputation has been soiled as for many months his name was associated with the murder of a police officer. His subsequent acquittal does not negate the wrong done to his good name," reads part of a letter written to Chihuri by Bellinda Chinowawa of the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights who is representing one of the activists, Nyamadzawo Gapare.
Gapare dismissed from his job as a result of the long incarceration.
The activists are demanding payment of $15,000, $10,000 for unlawful detention, $30,000 for pain and suffering and $10,000 for contumelia.
Some of the group say their families have been left destitute after they lost their jobs.
Although 21 were acquitted, seven others will face trial after Justice Bhunu ruled that the State had established a prima facie case against them.
Most of the activists are demanding up to $65,000 each for their arrest and lengthy detentions.
They were arrested in 2011 and charged with murdering Inspector Petros Mutedza at a pub in Harare's high density suburb of Glen View. They were also hit with the alternative charge of committing public violence.
The politically charged case dragged on for more than two years with some of the accused spending more than a year in prison after being refused bail
One of the group died while in remand prison.
But 21 of the activists, including human rights campaigner Cynthia Manjoro, were last month acquitted by High Court judge Justice Chinembiri Bhunu.
In his ruling, the judge criticised ZRP officers over their unprofessional conduct in the arrest and detention of the activists as they did not have credible evidence linking them to the murder.
The judge also said the police had arrested Manjoro as an inducement for her boyfriend to surrender himself to the police in connection with the commission of the offence.
Six of the activists have now petitioned Chihuri and Mohadi under whose ministry the ZRP falls, demanding compensation for unlawful arrest, incarceration, pain and suffering and loss of income for the period that they were under persecution.
"His reputation has been soiled as for many months his name was associated with the murder of a police officer. His subsequent acquittal does not negate the wrong done to his good name," reads part of a letter written to Chihuri by Bellinda Chinowawa of the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights who is representing one of the activists, Nyamadzawo Gapare.
Gapare dismissed from his job as a result of the long incarceration.
The activists are demanding payment of $15,000, $10,000 for unlawful detention, $30,000 for pain and suffering and $10,000 for contumelia.
Some of the group say their families have been left destitute after they lost their jobs.
Although 21 were acquitted, seven others will face trial after Justice Bhunu ruled that the State had established a prima facie case against them.
Source - Radio VOP
