Zimbabwe: Tsvangirai aides charged
2013-03-19 15:19
Special Report
Zimbabwe's Zanu-PF party is mulling over a special congress at which top vacant positions will be filled and the succession of President Robert Mugabe would be decided, according to a report.
Harare - Four aides to Zimbabwe's Prime Minister Morgan
Tsvangirai were on Tuesday charged with breaching the official secrets code,
impersonating the police and illegal possession of documents for criminal use.
Thabani Mpofu, director for research in Tsvangirai's office,
two subordinates and a senior party official were arrested on Sunday, in the
wake of a key constitutional referendum.
Their lawyer Beatrice Mtetwa was also detained in the raid
on Tsvangirai's communications office, but faces separate charges.
Applying for bail, lawyer Alec Muchadehama complained that
the four were arrested and detained unlawfully.
"These are good citizens who deserve not to stay in
custody."
Prosecutor Michael Mugabe opposed bail saying the four were
facing serious charges.
The arrests marred Zimbabwe's largely peaceful
constitutional referendum, which took place on Saturday.
The vote is expected to handily approve a draft charter,
which curtails the president's powers and reduces the president's tenure to two
five-year terms.
Tsvangirai is in an uncomfortable coalition government with
his arch-rival and veteran leader President Robert Mugabe, which will end with
elections planned under the new constitution.
Zimbabwean police have launched a series of raids to seize
two-way and shortwave radio receivers, a policy that rights groups say is a
fig-leaf for intelligence gathering and intimidation.
- AFP
