The lawyer for Tsvangirai’s pilot was arrested last week by the Zimbabwe republic police and detained at Harare Central police station.

The pilot he was representing is South African and was arrested as he was preparing to fly opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai to a series of rallies in Matabeleland North. The pilot Brent Smyth works for Aviation Towards Success (ATS) Helicopters which is in Johannesburg South Africa. Smyth was being charged for overstaying in Zimbabwe and thus breaching the Immigration Act. The helicopter which he was using a Robinson R44 Raven Series was in the process impounded by the police. It is said it had come from Roy Bennet who is MDC Tsvangirai’s treasurer but living in exile now. Smyth’s arrest took place at Charles Prince Airport which is in Mt Hampden and being the venue he was supposed to pick up Tsvangirai.

Chagonda has become the latest high profile figure to be welcomed by police at the Harare central police station. This building has a reputation of housing all people who have the capacity to make selling headlines in news papers who range from the opposition leader himself Morgan Tsvangirai, exiled journalist Basildon Peta, Lovemore Madhuku who is the leader of national Constitutional Assembly (NCA) as well as all other alternative voices. Foreign journalists have also been to this building situated along Inez Terez and overlooking the charge office bus terminus. Some South African journalists were arrested and their vehicle impounded by the police for allegedly working without accreditation to cover the post election time.

Whilst writing this story I get another message that freelance reporter Frank Chikore has been arrested. He was arrested around 12:30 hours today being Tuesday the 15th of April when six officers raided his home. The six confiscated his laptop, recorders, cameras and two cellphones. It was not established where they had taken him.

The authoritarian or totalitarian style of ruling in Zimbabwe has become unfriendly for anyone who is viewed to think parallel to the ruling elite and a visit to Harare Central Police Station is inevitable for anyone who has the guts to go this way. These actions have left many questions pertaining freedom of speech and expression in Zimbabwe. If one exercises his right of speech he risks spending some nights at Harare Central or even at Remand Prison. Zimbabwe’s record for human rights abuses has been reported high even though this country is not at war.

---

Share This Story On:

Average user rating