Court stops Mtetwa from representing Chin’ono.
THE State on Thursday made it impossible for investigative journalist Hopewell Chin’ono to proffer evidence on COVID-19 breaches against him while in detention against at Harare Remand and Chikurubi Maximum prisons.
By Abel Karowangoro
Chin’ono’s had prepared to present his evidence in camera before the whole process was botched up.
This publication is reliably informed that in efforts to stop Chin’ono from presenting his evidence, the hatched a plan to launch an application before the courts so that lawyer Beatrice Mtetwa is barred from representing the accused.
The State, through prosecutor Whisper Mabhaudhi, told the court that Mtetwa was no longer a suitable advocate for Chin’ono, alleging her Facebook page comments titled: Beatrice Mtetwa and the Rule of Law was a legal breach.
On Wednesday, Mtetwa raised new bail application grounds in which she cited changed circumstances, saying Chin’ono risked being infected by COVID-19, claiming that Zimbabwe Prisons Correctional Services (ZPCS) was not adhering to specified World Health Organisation (WHO) as well as those given by the Health ministry.
Harare regional magistrate Ngoni Nduna however, ruled that the evidence be led in camera, implying that media and the public would be barrec from witnessing the proceedings.
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The whole camera process was, however, temporarily shelved, with the State now pursuing the matter of Mtetwa’s recusal following the said Facebook page statement by Mtetwa..
Meanwhile, there are allegations that last Friday, some suspected ZRP personnel raided Mtetwa’s law chambers in Harare, chanting and singing outside and disturbing her work.
The former adviser to the Morgan Tsvangirai, Alex Magaisa, said the “hooligans” even harassed her worker who had sought to know why the suspected law officers were behaving in such a manner, breaching at the prominent human rights’ law chambers.
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