High court finally granted bail to the Glenview 3

Today 29 January 2014, marks the end of a three year incarceration of Last Tamai Maengahama, Yvonne Musarurwa and Councillor Tungamirai Madzokere. Justice Chinembiri Bhunu has eventually done what he has supposed to have done in 2011. The three were granted bail this morning at the High court of Zimbabwe.

In a statement we issued yesterday, the Youth Assembly clearly demanded the unconditional and immediate release and end of the 3 year trial of the falsely accused Glenview 7. The right to bail is neither a privilege nor any person’s mercy but it is a constitutional right.

Bhunu has just seen what every Zimbabwean has been calling for since May 2011. The supreme law of the land clearly confer innocence to any accused person until proven otherwise by a competent court of law.

The Glenview 29 were meant to serve even before commencement of their defence. This is a blatant violation of human rights that are enshrined in the new charter.

This case has sparked some pertinent questions that must be answered:

a)      How does the state going to compensate for the loss of life of Rebecca Mafukeni?  She had to escape the confines of prison through death.

b)      How about the families of the accused? How are they feeling? They might be happy today, but what about the three years of illegal detention of their beloved ones?

c)       How the state is going to compensate for the loss of livelihoods? They are all breadwinners.

d)       Elections were held on 31^st of July 2013. The constitution of Zimbabwe clearly bestows the right to vote as a fundamental human right to every citizen. The three failed to vote last year. How the state is going to do to award these three the opportunity to exercise their right.  

e)      In light of the aforementioned violations, never mind for a speed trail, we will continue to ask whether the accused persons under these circumstances going to receive fair trial.  

Justice delayed is justice denied. They must be freed now. The state is failing to provide reasonable evidence that justifies that the accused persons have killed or even near where police officer, the late Inspector Petros Mutedza was attacked by patrons at a popular pub in Glenview 3 in 2011.

The family, friends and party members are going to welcome the three tonight at Chikurubi maximum prison gate.

The Assembly wish the three a fast recovery.

MDC Youth Assembly Information Department

Together to end,building a youth with a difference.

Human Rights Violations at play

The Glen View 29 case is one clear manifestation of gross human rights violation in the country. The case has been going on since early 2011. Now the torture has been reduced to 7 members of the Party who are still to be freed by the Justice delivery system which has been deliberately reduced to a snail marathon.

To make matters worse, 3 of them have been languishing in Prison for more than 2 years.

The three have been denied bail on controversial grounds despite the fact that the Criminal Procedure and Evidence Act makes bail an entitlement to any accused citizen as long as it is not against the will of Justice.

It is a fact that the ones who were given bail did not flout from trial nor did they try to interfere with the witnesses and the Judge accepts that the state has a weak case against the accused persons.

We demand that the continued persecution of the activists be stopped forth with. The MDC Youth Assembly knows that their continued imprisonment is just meant to deter the cadres from taking the struggle forward.

It is very worrying that there is psychological torture and psychological inflammation caused on the 7 activists especially on the families on Last Tamai Maengahama, Yvonne Musarurwa and councillor Tungamirai Madzokere who are still in Chikurubi maximum prison.

Zimbabwe has not forgotten that this political pollution has resulted in one of the falsely charged persons Rebecca Mafukeni dying in prison after being denied medical attention, May her soul rest in internal peace.

As other equal Zimbabweans are languishing in prison, others are busy looting national resources. They are taking more than US$200 000 a month. For the two years the Glenview 3 were in prison, Cuthbert Dube and others earned more than US$4, 8 million. This is unacceptable in an economy with more than 90% unemployment and when the majority of the employed -10% is earning a paltry $300 a month. Innocent Zimbabweans continue wallowing in prison because of their political affiliation, when political rascals like Happison Muchechetere are busy earning exorbitant salaries for suppressing freedom of speech.

We demand their release from prison forthwith.  

MDC Youth Assembly Information Department.

 

Together to end,building a youth with a difference.