News / National
Zim judge overturns suspension of university student expelled over protest placard
25 Aug 2016 at 00:50hrs | Views
HIGH Court Judge Justice Francis Bere on Tuesday 23 August 2016 ordered authorities at the state-run Midlands State University (MSU) to reinstate a university student whom they had suspended for allegedly wielding an offensive placard.
Archbold Elias Madida had been suspended from MSU for allegedly holding a placard inscribed "MSU Students support MDC-T", within the university's premises following an anti-government protest staged in Gweru in Midlands on Saturday 13 August 2016 by the MDC-T party. The MSU authorities had claimed that Madida's conduct is "harmful to the interests of the university".
However, Madida through Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) member Takashinga Pamacheche of Gundu and Dube Legal Practitioners filed an urgent chamber application in the High Court in Bulawayo, challenging his suspension as victimisation and seeking an order to have it set aside.
On Tuesday 23 August 2016, Justice Bere ordered MSU and Professor Ngwabi Bhebhe, who were cited as respondents respectively, to allow Madida to be on the university's premises, attend lectures, participate in university programmes and have access to all university facilities. Justice Bere also ordered that Madida's suspension pending the conducting of a disciplinary hearing against him be permanently uplifted.
Prior to being suspended, MSU security personnel had on Tuesday16 August 2016 escorted Madida from MSU's Zvishavane campus to the university's Gweru main campus, where the authorities had scheduled to convene a disciplinary hearing for him.
However, Madida's lawyer was later advised that no hearing was to take place but that just an enquiry was to be held which was conducted in the office of the Chief Security Officer only identified as Chademana. Madida denied all the allegations leveled against him and insisted that the authorities proceed in whatever manner they deem fit.
Madida's lawyer also resisted attempts by Chademana to have the legal practitioner leave the university premises without her client which Pamacheche refused to do and insisted that the security personnel ensures that the MSU student travels back to Zvishavane campus as they were the ones who had escorted him to Gweru.
In the end the MSU security personnel capitulated and made some arrangements to facilitate Madida's return to Zvishavane campus.
Archbold Elias Madida had been suspended from MSU for allegedly holding a placard inscribed "MSU Students support MDC-T", within the university's premises following an anti-government protest staged in Gweru in Midlands on Saturday 13 August 2016 by the MDC-T party. The MSU authorities had claimed that Madida's conduct is "harmful to the interests of the university".
However, Madida through Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) member Takashinga Pamacheche of Gundu and Dube Legal Practitioners filed an urgent chamber application in the High Court in Bulawayo, challenging his suspension as victimisation and seeking an order to have it set aside.
On Tuesday 23 August 2016, Justice Bere ordered MSU and Professor Ngwabi Bhebhe, who were cited as respondents respectively, to allow Madida to be on the university's premises, attend lectures, participate in university programmes and have access to all university facilities. Justice Bere also ordered that Madida's suspension pending the conducting of a disciplinary hearing against him be permanently uplifted.
Prior to being suspended, MSU security personnel had on Tuesday16 August 2016 escorted Madida from MSU's Zvishavane campus to the university's Gweru main campus, where the authorities had scheduled to convene a disciplinary hearing for him.
However, Madida's lawyer was later advised that no hearing was to take place but that just an enquiry was to be held which was conducted in the office of the Chief Security Officer only identified as Chademana. Madida denied all the allegations leveled against him and insisted that the authorities proceed in whatever manner they deem fit.
Madida's lawyer also resisted attempts by Chademana to have the legal practitioner leave the university premises without her client which Pamacheche refused to do and insisted that the security personnel ensures that the MSU student travels back to Zvishavane campus as they were the ones who had escorted him to Gweru.
In the end the MSU security personnel capitulated and made some arrangements to facilitate Madida's return to Zvishavane campus.
Source - Byo24News
