State prosecutors 'too scared' to MDC arrests

State prosecutors in Beitbridge are reported to have refused to handle a case involving 13 MDC-T officials described as the top leadership and 'brains' behind the MDC-T in the area, who were arrested over the weekend for attending a party workshop. The group was part of 35 people arrested on Saturday for attending a district party workshop in Beitbridge East. Twenty-two were released from police custody on Sunday.

The prosecutors said the case was 'too sensitive' to handle, and it is believed they feared the powerful co-Home Affairs Minister and local MP Kembo Mohadi.

As the case involved MDC-T activists arrested in Mohadi's constituency, expectations were that they should be tried and found guilty at all costs. Anything less than that is usually met with serious repercussions from Mohadi.

"They have been put in a very difficult situation by Mohadi. Prosecutors know very well they can never secure convictions or a custodial sentence in cases like these, so its better for them not to handle the cases," Saungweme said an SW Radio correspondent.

He added that the powerful Zanu-PF politburo member wields so much power in Beitbridge that most government employees at the border town are wary of crossing his path as they fear losing their jobs at the whim of the minister.

"When it was clear no one was willing to deal with the case, the state brought in a police officer identified as T.B. Moyo to help with the prosecution. In his submission, Moyo urged the court to deny the activists bail, saying if released the group would influence other residents of Beitbridge.

"Another absurd reason he gave was that enemies of the activists will beat them if they are released, at which juncture the magistrate said it was the duty of the police to keep peace in the border town," Saungweme said.

The magistrate went on to grant the 13 activists $50 bail each but the state invoked section 121 of the Criminal Procedure and Evidence Act. This is a counter measure which prosecutors invoke to defeat the bail order and retain accused persons in custody for a further 7 days, allegedly to allow the state time to file an appeal against the bail ruling.

Saungweme believes Mohadi, who has his thumb on every facet of business in Beitbridge, is an extremely intimidating figure who uses his past connection with the CIO to intimidate and silence his business and political opponents.