Social+Unrest+and+Twisted+Justice,+ZCTU+Informal+Economy+Desk

ZCTU Informal Economy Desk, 16-Sep-2006 11:27
=SOCIAL UNREST & TWISTED JUSTICE=

Yesterday 30 trade union activists were released on bail of ZWD20 000 each which amount USD2 400 at the official rate for an offence which the state in their arguments had placed under Miscellaneous offences. These 30 include the 15 ZCTU LEADERSHIP who were brutally assaulted whiles under police custody.

The State Prosecutor who is **__Tawanda Zvakare__** dismissed the injuries perpetrated on the Trade Union leaders as skirmishes with the police and even tried to allege that there were police that were injured as well.

The lawyers representing the ZCTU leadership and all activists led by Aleck Muchadehama placed the arguments for the accused and confirmed the following.

The President if ZCTU Lovemore Matombo has a fractured bone and is swollen all over the body.

The First Vice President of ZCTU Lucia Matibenga has buttocks and back marked with whips. Her neck is swollen and her eardrum has been shaken and now has problems hearing with that ear.

The Secretary General Wellington Chibebe has several cuts in the head, a broken left hand of the ulna bone, two broken fingers, a back that is heavily scarred with bruises and generally a swollen body.

The ZCTU General Council member Moses Ngondo has a severe gush on the leg and is swollen all over.

ZCTU General Council is bleeding from the back and has a swollen body. ZCTU General Council member R Chigwagwa has a fractured hand and swollen body. Journalist Ian Makoni has a fractured hand and scarred back from police beatings.

These were just but example of the few and the rest were waiting for the doctor's reports which were still being prepared at the time of going to the court.

The lawyers demanded that the Commissioner of the police IN Zimbabwe and the officer commanding for Mbare District where Matapi Police Station fall under to prepare a report regarding the assaults for the next remand.

In the 34 ZCTU districts where these demonstrations took place the ZCTU petitions were delivered to the offices of the following - Ministry of Labour, Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Health. All the activists that were arrested to that effect were released either on bail or after paying a fine for blocking traffic ZWD250 which would USD1.

It must be noted that two days prior to the demonstrations the police had been alerted by the ZCTU of the routes the demonstrations would take and so the police in response had sealed off traffic from these routes two days prior to the demonstrations.

On the 15th in their arguments on these 30 people they now allege that this issue is now a matter of **state security** hence the bail was placed at ZWD20 000 and the activists were ordered to report to the Police Station every Friday.

The state is alleging that when the leadership were arrested they were shouting at the police calling them Mugabe's dogs. But the activist were chanting a workers’ songs and slogans which was witnessed by at least three journalist on site and which can be witnessed by the other journalist who was arrested together with the activists.

//Mushandi Shinga & Kuti zvaoma moto sunga moyo negavi// (Workers toughen up as the struggle gets tougher)

All the time these comrades were arrested the lawyers were denied access to them and could not ascertain the nature of the charges until the 15 th when the made an urgent application to the high court for these people to brought before the court. Had this not been granted yesterday wherefore the court went into session at 1600hrs the arrested would have remained in custody for the whole weekend. If we had failed to come up with the ZWD600 000 for all the activists then they would have stayed in remand.

However last night Wellington Chibebe could still not be moved to a better hospital as the police were told that he is still under police custody. So he still lies in Parirenyatwa hospital, which has no medication, and we have to keep running up and down to buy as and when the doctor prescribes.

The rest of the 15 activists are now admitted at DANDARO Hospital in Borrowdale.

They are expected to appear in court on 3 October 2006 at 9:30am

SO MUCH FOR A DEMOCRATIC COUNTRY
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