The Harare Magistrate’s Court has ordered that top human rights lawyer, Beatrice Mtetwa be barred from representing a prominent journalist, Hopewell Chinono, because she allegedly ran Facebook pages critical of the country’s justice system. The court ruled on Tuesday that Beatrice Mtetwa – an internationally acclaimed lawyer who has been at the forefront of defending the country’s human rights activists – be removed from representing award-winning journalist Hopewell Chin’ono. The state accused Mtetwa of writing contemptuous letters to the country’s magistrates and high courts, and of running Facebook pages that denigrated the courts. “In view of the submissions by both the state and the defence, the disqualification of the lead coun
Rampant Corruption by ZRP in Bindura Town in the name of COVID lockdown restrictions Zimbabwe Republic Police officers in Bindura are now notorious for demanding bribes from business owners and residents in the name of enforcing COVID lockdown restrictions. The officers are demanding 5US as bribe from both informal and formal business operators as well as local residents in order to conduct their day to day business as protection fees. These corrupt activities have the blessings from high ranking police officers such as the DISPOL (TG Muzvondiwa , 0719019094), Deputy-DISPOL (Mumanyi), chief inspector Solomon Maranyika, 0714001907 (Chiwaridzo area), chief-inspector Ganye (Bindura Central). I have made several reports to the Bindura Central police station with tangible evidence of the
BEATRICE Mtetwa has been permanently barred from representing Hopewell Chin’ono after a Harare court found the top rights lawyer to have abandoned professional conduct but developed personal interest in the journalist’s case. Chin’ono stands accused of inviting the public to commit public violence. Magistrate Ngoni Nduna Tuesday ruled Mtetwa could no longer continue representing Chin’ono after displaying unprofessional conduct. Mtetwa is accused of writing a letter to the High Court registrar expressing her emotions on the case and also authoring Facebook posts to do with Chin’ono’s case. Nduna also wants the lawyer held in contempt of court by the Prosecutor General with his full judgment also availed to the law Society of Zimbabwe so it could
THIEVES broke into the United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH) and stole seven plasma television sets that were mounted at the health facility’s private ward. The thieves are said to have taken advantage of the absence of security guards manning the premises to raid the ward. The theft is said to have occurred between Friday and Tuesday morning and was discovered on Tuesday by hospital authorities. The hospital has a few patients after UBH was designated as Covid-19 centre while non-Covid-19 patients were transferred to Mpilo Central Hospital. The move was done to minimise the risk of non-Covid-19 patients from contracting the virus if they mixed with positive ones. UBH is serving a temporal Covid-19 treatment centre while renovations at Thorngrove Infectious Disease Hospital, Ek
President Emmerson Mnangagwa's daughter was reportedly detained at Mazowe police station after it emerged that she was part of the rampant illegal mining. Chido Mnangagwa who is one of ED's children is being sucked in corrupt mining deals and is reported to have been nabbed for riverbed mining with highly placed sources saying the call was made by Vice President Constantino Chiwenga though the case was later swept under the carpet. According to the source, the arrest of Chido came a few days after Home Affairs Minister Kazembe Kazembe and Mines Minister Winston Chitando toured the Mazowe River area to assess the state of illegal mining activities by the Chinese. "Chido who is ED's daughter was arrested earlier this week (Monday) for her involvement in riverbed min
Transform Zimbabwe leader, Jacob Ngarivhume will spend another week behind bars after the Harare Magistrates Court delayed his bail hearing to next week Monday on the grounds that the designated magistrate was not available to preside over the matter. Ngarivhume who was the convener of the failed 31 July demonstration, was arrested together with journalist Hopewell Chin’ono on charges of inciting public violence. Updating journalists outside the Harare Magistrates Court, Ngarivhume’s lawyer Moses Nkomo said they will have to explore other avenues to seek justice for his client. Transform Zimbabwe leader, Jacob Ngarivhume will spend another week behind bars after the Harare Magistrates Court delayed his bail hearing to next week Monday on the grounds that the designated ma
Emmerson Mnangagwa yesterday reiterated his administration’s unwavering fight against corruption saying the door to graft has been shut warning that those who want to pursue that route would face dire consequences. In his Heroes Day address broadcast live from State House in Harare, the President said Government makes no apologies in its enforcement of transparency and accountability across the country’s socio, economic and political spectrum. “The Second Republic has, since its inception, accelerated the entrenchment and consolidation of democracy, constitutionalism and the rule of law in pursuit of social justice and equal opportunities for the economic empowerment of the previously marginalised majority,” said President Mnangagwa. “Informed by a ca
The Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) says it is concerned about the treatment of freelance journalist Hopewell Chin’ono and Jacob Ngarivhume, leader of Transform Zimbabwe, who are currently detained at Chikurubi Maximum Prison. According to the lawyers group, on Saturday ZLHR lawyers Roselyn Hanzi, Beatrice Mtetwa and Moses Nkomo visited their clients, Chin’ono and Ngarivhume at Chikurubi Maximum Prison, where they were moved to from Harare Remand Prison last Friday by Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services (ZPCS) officials. In a statement, the ZLHR said Chin’ono and Ngarivhume’s lawyers only came to know of the transfer of their clients late on Friday 7 August 2020 after they learnt from independent sources that the duo had been strip searched, sh
The ZPCS spokesperson Supt Meya Khanyezi has denied ill-treating journalist Hopewell Chin’ono and activist Jacob Ngarivhume. The two were arrested over allegations connected to the July 31 demo. Yesterday lawyer Beatrice Mtetwa complained over how they have been suddenly transferred to the COVID fested Chikurubi maximum and afterwards denied food from outside, as also their re;stoves and friends are blocked from seeing them. There are fears that the two will be poisoned. Khanyezi said the Commissioner General of Prisons is allowed under the country’s laws to transfer or make standing orders without consulting legal representatives of inmates. “The Commissioner General is empowered to make standing orders and it is in terms of these standing orders that certain ca
VICE-PRESIDENT Constantino Chiwenga opted to take over the Health and Child Care portfolio following differences with President Emmerson Mnangagwa over the sacked Obadiah Moyo's successor, it has emerged. Mnangagwa last week announced that he had appointed Chiwenga the new Health minister, sparking speculation on the motives behind the surprise move that has been described as unconstitutional by some legal experts. Lawyers say a VP is not allowed to double up as a minister in terms of the constitution. Insiders told The Standard that Chiwenga wanted Health and Child Care deputy minister John Mangwiro, who is his personal doctor, to take over the ministry, but Mnangagwa did not agree. After the haggling, the VP is said to have volunteered to take over the por
