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ZCTU Correction 14-05-08 |
ZCTU Alert
Errata
The hearing day is Thursday 15 May 2008, not Wednesday 15 May 2008.
Thank you
----- Original Message -----
From: ZCTU Information
To: Patrick
Sent: Wednesday, May 14, 2008 1:37 PM
Subject: ZCTU Alert
ZCTU PRESS RELEASE
SUBJECT: High Court hearing of bail application by ZCTU Leaders' deferred to Wednesday
The Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) leaders' bail application will now be heard by the High Court tomorrow, Wednesday 15 May 2008, at 0900 before Justice Ben Hlatshwayo.
This morning, the State said that it was not ready with its response to the ZCTU application after the State prosecutor said he had nothing to present and had been sent to convey a message from the Attorney General's office that the initial prosecutor had claimed that he was unable to prosecute because he is related to Mr Wellington Chibebe.
However, ZCTU lawyer Aleck Muchadehama disputed the claim of the relationship, saying it was a lie meant to delay the process as none from the Chibebe family knows the prosecutor. The judge then adjourned the court to 1130, and ordered the State to present its response, buy once again the State failed to produce its response.
Justice Ben Hlatshwayo then ordered the State to avail to himself and ZCTU lawyers the response by 1630 today and the court would proceed tomorrow at 0900 hrs.
The ZCTU views the State's antics as a ploy to delay the process as prosecutors are being interchanged in order to frustrate the whole process. It also believes that the issue is being handled at the highest political level and prosecutors are being used as decoys.
The ZCTU's application to the High Court comes after a Harare Magistrate, Olivia Mariga, had on Monday 12 May 2008, refused to grant Mr Lovemore Matombo, ZCTU President and Mr Wellington Chibebe, ZCTU Secretary General, bail claiming that they were not suitable for bail. She had remanded them to May 23, 2008.
The ZCTU leaders are being charged with inciting people to rise against the government and falsehoods after they told workers gathered at Dzivaresekwa Stadium on May 1, 2008 that people were being killed during the current wave of political violence in the country.
The two ZCTU leaders were arrested after they presented themselves to the police on Thursday 8 May 2008 where they were initially interrogated for more than six hours before charges were laid against them. They had availed themselves to the police after armed police had visited their residences searching for them.
The leaders are current being held at Harare Remand Prison.
Last Tarabuku
Acting Information Officer
Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions
P.O Box 3549
Harare, ZimbabweTelephone 263-4-794702/794742
Cell 263 11 620 231
Fax 263-4- 728484
E-mail info@zctu.co.zw
Website www.zctu.co.zw