News / Press Release
Court orders urgent treatment for jailed MDC activists
10 Aug 2011 at 14:26hrs | Views
Harare Magistrate, Shane Kubonera has ordered prison officers to let private doctors examine urgently seven MDC activists detained at the Harare Remand and Chikurubi Maximum prisons. For more than two months the prison officials have been denying the incarcerated MDC activists access to doctors despite a court ruling ordering that they be treated. The seven activists are part of 24 MDC members who were arrested and severely tortured while in police custody on false charges of murdering a police officer in Glen View in May.
The other 17 were granted bail last month. The police officer was murdered by unknown revellers at a night club.
Today Magistrate Shane Kubonera ruled that the seven in remand prison should receive urgent treatment. Among those in urgent need of medical attention are; Councillor Tungamirai Madzokera of Ward 32 in Glen View, Yvonne Musarurwa, and Rebecca Mafukeni. Councillor Madzokera's left hand is in a plaster after it was fractured in police custody and is in need of constant medical attention; Musarurwa and Mafukeni have visible wounds from police torture and the wounds need attention.
However, the prison officials have been denying them access to doctors and the activists were only receiving pain killers.
The defence lawyers have accused the Attorney General's Office and the police of using "guerrilla tactics" in arresting and prosecuting the 24 activists who were at one time denied access to legal representation.
Meanwhile, the State today failed to submit for the third time medical affidavits showing that the 24 activists were heavily assaulted while in police custody claiming that state prosecutor handling the case Edmore Nyazamba was ill.
Last month a bail hearing for some of the activists was postponed three times after Nyazamba again failed to appear at the High Court. Magistrate Kubonera gave 17 August as the last day for the state to submit the medical affidavits in court.
The 24 activists were further remanded to 19 August.
Those still in custody are; Clr Madzokera, Mafukeni, Musarurwa, brothers Stanford and Lazarus Maengahama, Lloyd Chitanda, and Phineas Nhatarikwa.
The other 17 were granted bail last month. The police officer was murdered by unknown revellers at a night club.
Today Magistrate Shane Kubonera ruled that the seven in remand prison should receive urgent treatment. Among those in urgent need of medical attention are; Councillor Tungamirai Madzokera of Ward 32 in Glen View, Yvonne Musarurwa, and Rebecca Mafukeni. Councillor Madzokera's left hand is in a plaster after it was fractured in police custody and is in need of constant medical attention; Musarurwa and Mafukeni have visible wounds from police torture and the wounds need attention.
However, the prison officials have been denying them access to doctors and the activists were only receiving pain killers.
The defence lawyers have accused the Attorney General's Office and the police of using "guerrilla tactics" in arresting and prosecuting the 24 activists who were at one time denied access to legal representation.
Meanwhile, the State today failed to submit for the third time medical affidavits showing that the 24 activists were heavily assaulted while in police custody claiming that state prosecutor handling the case Edmore Nyazamba was ill.
Last month a bail hearing for some of the activists was postponed three times after Nyazamba again failed to appear at the High Court. Magistrate Kubonera gave 17 August as the last day for the state to submit the medical affidavits in court.
The 24 activists were further remanded to 19 August.
Those still in custody are; Clr Madzokera, Mafukeni, Musarurwa, brothers Stanford and Lazarus Maengahama, Lloyd Chitanda, and Phineas Nhatarikwa.
Source - MDC-T
