Supreme Court hears Mukoko’s case today
HARARE – Zimbabwe’s Supreme Court today begins hearing a constitutional challenge filed by prominent human rights campaigner Jestina Mukoko to determine a series of violations of her constitutional rights at the hands of state security agents.
Lawyers want a permanent stay of criminal proceedings against Mukoko whose trial for plotting to unseat President Robert Mugabe’s previous administration was scheduled for early next month, on the grounds that she is a complainant in a case of kidnapping and abduction.
Mukoko, a former staffer at the state-owned Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation and now director of human rights organisation Zimbabwe Peace Project (ZPP), and some members of Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai’s MDC party are charged with attempting to recruit people for military training in neighbouring Botswana to overthrow Mugabe.
Mukoko was abducted from her Norton home by state security agents in December 2008 and held incommunicado at various secret locations where her lawyers say she was tortured.
The proceedings in the Supreme Court follow the granting of an application filed by human rights lawyers early this year seeking a referral of Mukoko’s case to the Supreme Court by a Harare Magistrate.
If convicted she faces the death penalty, in a case that has potential to scuttle Zimbabwe’s unity government between Mugabe and MDC party leader Tsvangirai.
Western governments and international rights groups have been calling for Zimbabwe’s inclusive government to carry out comprehensive political, economic and justice reforms without delay to uphold human rights and the rule of law before they provide financial support and lift sanctions on Mugabe and his inner circle.