MDC-T activist detained at Chikurubi for 2 years dies at Parirenyatwa hospital

Rebecca Mafikeni, one of the remaining MDC-T activists detained inside Chikurubi Maximum Security Prison for nearly two years has passed away. Mafikeni (29) detained at the notorious FB2 section died at Parirenyatwa Hospital where she had been admitted after her condition deteriorated.

Nehanda Radio understands a female prison officer who was one of those assigned to guard Mafikeni said she died a very painful death.

Rebecca joined the MDC-T in 2000 at a tender age of 16 and has been a Party member till the time of her death. In 2002 she was arrested, imprisoned and tortured. Between 2003 and 2004, she worked as a Gender representative and later joined the Security Department.

At the 2011 Congress, she was elected as Vice Organising Secretary Youth Assembly for Harare Province, a position she held until the time of her death.
Rebecca was arrested on 30 May 2011 on what her party said were ‘false’ allegations of murdering a police officer.

She was in detention for 9 months and 2 weeks before being granted bail for a week after which she was detained again at the infamous Chikurubi Maximum Prison. She had been fighting for freedom ever since.

Nearly 30 MDC-T supporters were arrested and spent nearly two years in custody after being accused of killing police Inspector Petros Mutedza in Glenview in May 2011. The brother and father of the murdered cop said the group was innocent and that state security agents had in fact killed Mutedza.

Those remaining in custody include Tungamirai Madzokere, Yvonne Musarurwa, Last Maengahama and Simon Mapanzure. Their fate contrasts sharply to DJ Munya and his accomplices who spent only 2 weeks in remand prison after being charged with the murder of a Harare man.

Nehanda Radio reported how prison officials continued to defy a court order to provide medical attention to the detained activists especially in August of 2011.