Murder charges against trade unionists withdrawn

The State has formally withdrawn murder charges against two prominent leaders of the Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (ARTUZ), Obert Masaraure and Robson Chere. The two had been facing allegations related to the assault and subsequent murder of their colleague, Roy Issa, nearly eight years ago.

Masaraure, the president of ARTUZ, and Chere, the union's Secretary-General, had been on remand since their arrests in 2022, having been accused of involvement in the death of Issa, which allegedly occurred on 11 June 2016. The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) had charged the pair with conspiring to murder Issa after a drinking spree in Harare, during which a misunderstanding led to an assault.

According to the prosecution's initial claims, Masaraure, Chere, and four unnamed accomplices attacked Issa, striking him on the head with unknown weapons, which led to his death. The prosecution further alleged that Masaraure and Chere then attempted to conceal the crime by falsely stating that Issa had fallen from the balcony of Jameson Hotel, where his body was later found on the pavement, about six meters from the hotel on Park Street.

However, after months of ongoing investigations, the prosecutors informed the court that they could no longer pursue the charges. On November 27, 2024, the NPA withdrew the murder charges against Masaraure, citing that investigations were still ongoing and had been dragging on for over eight years. Prosecutors conceded that it was no longer reasonable to keep Masaraure on remand or continue his appearances in court without any clear resolution to the case.

Previously, on October 11, 2024, murder charges against Chere were also dropped for the same reasons. Harare Magistrate Dennis Mangosi was informed that law enforcement agents had yet to conclude their investigations, which had been ongoing since the incident in 2016, making it impossible to proceed with Chere's trial.

Both Masaraure and Chere, who had been out on bail while awaiting trial, were represented by renowned human rights lawyers Doug Coltart and Beatrice Mtetwa of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR). The withdrawal of the charges comes as a significant development in a case that has drawn attention due to the prolonged investigation period and the involvement of trade union leaders.

Masaraure and Chere have maintained their innocence throughout the proceedings, with their legal representatives pointing to the extended nature of the investigation as a key factor in the delay of the trial. The withdrawal of charges marks a turning point in a case that has remained unresolved for nearly a decade.

The NPA's decision to drop the charges raises questions about the effectiveness of the investigations and the handling of high-profile cases, especially those involving political or trade union figures.