Zimbabwe opposition claims miscarriage of justice in SG trial

March 4, 2020
Hon Charlton Hwende has been arrested | Report Focus News
Hon. Charlton Hwende has been arrested

Harare-Zimbabwe’s leading main opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) has described the trial of party Secretary General, Charlton Hwende as miscarriage of justice.

Hwende is facing subversion charges emanating from a tweet that he is alleged to have posted against government, he however, denies the twitter account.

MDC secretary for legal affairs, Innocent Gonese what the courts are doing is a miscarriage of justice.

“The MDC is dismayed by the clear miscarriage of Justice in the case of Honourable Charlton Hwende in terms of which the Court handed down a ruling granting the State’s application for a postponement.

“It is our considered view that the Judgment is devoid of merit and smacks of a political ruling and ignores the well-articulated submissions of the Defence Counsel. We are at a loss as to why the State’s prevarication, which State stood to suffer no prejudice if the Accused had been removed from remand” said Gonese

He said the Kuwadzana legislator has been denied freedom at the expense of the State whose house was not in order.

“To the contrary, Honourable Hwende has been deprived of his freedom for almost a year and it is apparent the State’s house is not in order. We believe that this is an appropriate case to have a judicial review of the matter so that justice can be done

“The persecution of our Members continues unabated. Several of our youths are appearing at the Chitungwiza Magistrates Court on yet more spurious charges. We are keeping our fingers crossed that the courts will do the right thing but past experience cautions us to brace for the worst” he said

Gonese said the MDC yearns for a just society where the rule of law prevails and the National Prosecuting Authority is not abused to harass and persecute people for political reasons and a truly people’s government that respects the rights of citizens as enshrined in the Constitution.

The case was further remanded to the 18th March 2020.