Tsvangirai Office Arrests: What Happened

This is an update provided by Roseline Zigomo

In the early hours of Sunday, the 17th of March 2013, at around 6.00am, three police officers descended at the home of Thabani Mpofu, a Principal Director in the Office of the Prime Minister.

2. The police officers searched Thabani Mpofu’s house without producing a search warrant or specifying what they were looking for or what crime had been committed.

3. They searched the house for three to four hours, during which time, the Office of the Prime Minister had instructed Beatrice Mtetwa to be Thabani Mpofu’s legal representative during the search.

4. When Beatrice Mtetwa arrived at Thabani Mpofu’s residence, she asked the police if they had a search warrant. The police officers told her they had one and would only show it once they had completed their search. They then arrested Beatrice Mtetwa on charges of obstructing justice.

5. At the end of the period of the search, they took cameras, a laptop, other electronic equipment, and documents from Thabani Mpofu’s home.

6. During the search of Thabani Mpofu’s house, other police officers were also searching the homes of Felix Matsinde and Anna Muzvidziwa, who are employed in the Office of the Prime Minister; as well as the home of Warship Dumba, an MDC-T Councillor.

7. The police had also tried to arrest Mehluli Tshuma, another officer employed in the Office of the Prime Minister, but he was in church at the time when they came to his house.

8. The police officers then arrested Thabani Mpofu and took him and Beatrice Mtetwa to the Prime Minister’s office situated in Bath Road. There they were joined by other officers, not less than eight, and the other co-accused persons: Felix Matsinde, Anna Muzvidziwa and Warship Dumba, who were present during the search of the Bath offices. Mehluli Tshuma who had also by this time been arrested joined the rest of the group at the Bath offices.

9. On the arrest of Beatrice Mtetwa, the OPM had instructed Chris Mhike, Alec Muchedahama and Jeramiah Bamu to represent the group. The lawyers went to the Bath offices to witness the search.

10. After the search of the Bath offices, the police then took the accused persons to Harare Central Police Station, where they were held for long hours being questioned, without any formal charges being put to them.

11. Very late on Sunday evening, 17 March, Thabani Mpofu was then transferred to Highlands Police Station; Felix Matsinde and Beatrice Mtetwa were taken to Rhodesville Police Station; Warship Dumba and Mehluli Tshuma were taken to Braeside Police Station. Anna Muzvidziwa was initially kept at Harare Central Police Station, but she was later released in the custody of Alec Muchedahama, one of the legal team.

12. The group were detained overnight without charges being proffered against them. They have been in custody now for more than 36 hours.

13. The Prime Minister, late on Sunday night the 17th March, met with a team of SADC Observers led by Dr. Salamao, the Executive Secretary of SADC.

14. The Prime Minister expressed to the observers his serious concerns over the arrest of persons in his employ on unspecified charges, which he regarded as a direct attack on his office at a time when the whole world had just witnessed a successful and generally peaceful Referendum. The Prime Minister said that this would cast a huge shadow on the Referendum.

15. The SADC Observer team took note of the arrests.

16. In the morning of Monday, 18 March 2013, the Prime Minister met with the Acting President, Hon. Joyce Mujuru where similar concerns were raised.

17. While the matter is going through the legal processes, which should be followed both in letter and spirit, the political implications of this attack on an Executive office are clear for all to see.